| Phoenix Rising Part 1 | |||||
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| What: Phoenix is causing chaos in space. The heroes try to intervene her latest conquest. | |||||
The shuttle doesn't give much sense of movement, but the world outside the viewscreen flashes by fast. Contrgravity drives.. and up there in orbit, a ship decloaks. Before you all is the Starjammer. A ship that Carol spent several years aboard off and on as Binary. "Hadn't realized how much I missed'er." she remarks as she deftly brings the shuttle in to land aboard the ship's hangar bay. "I've already brought a couple up earlier. They're in the hangar waiting for us." And yep, there's Cir-El and Sola down there now. She points them out through the viewscreen. Then presses the control to lower the ramp. "Let's go make introductions, shall we?" And a voice calls from the shuttle speakers, "I see you are safely aboard. Engaging hyperdrive now." says the male voice. Carol then leads the others out of the shuttle. She's waving to folks as she comes down. There is no sensation of movement yet again. Super Shi'ar tech.
Rogue spent the first part of the trip putting all her gear on and stowing her civilian clothes into the duffle bag she'd brought... She spent the rest of the trip with her head down and her hood pulled up over her head, concealing her face, the white locks of hair hung out of her black hood and dangled down the chest of her black protective bodysuit. She had briefly looked out a 'window' at space, and that was all she needed to see... a brief look and no more... now she just sat quietly until it was all over... But when Carol spoke and moved she glanced up at the woman and quietly decided to rise and follow her, her armored boots making quiet footfalls as she trailed after Danvers, with her black cloak flowing behind her.
He hates small spaces for obvious reasons and going down the ramp from one to another wasn't much better. Bruce was feeling a little green and not the hulk style of it for once. "Hey you made it." he gives Cir and Sola both hugs each getting a kiss to the cheek. "Glad you both are coming. You are sure about this right? Once we strap in there is no turning back." he tells them both. "This is Marie, she is coming with us. This is my daughters Cir and Sola. And this is Carol that will be piloting this thing."
Cir-El was brought up to the ship with her "sister" Sola just a bit earlier. She has looked around, careful not to touch. She really wishes, at times like these, that she had a Super Mind and A Kryptonian Database in her head...like the Superman in her memories does. Unfortunately Brainiac did not build her that way, so all this alien tech is way over her head. She hugs Bruce when he comes to her and replies, "If the threat is as big as it sounds, then how could I refuse to go?"
Down in the Hangar, Carol laughs, "Actually... we're already en route. I don't pilot the Starjammer. Back when I was on board, I'd usually fly the shuttle or a fighter, but not the ship itself. That's barely piloting. It's more like the helm on a Navy Destroyer." She shrugs and adds, "I think we'd do best to hang out here. We'll be taking the shuttle to the surface. But first... everyone." she reaches a hand to place it on Rogue's covered shoulder, "This is Marie, codename Rogue. She is going to be incredibly useful here. Rogue, you've met Bruce. This is Cir-El, and Sola. They are also here to help. So, it's not just you me and the smasher." she adds with a grin. She's certainly cheerful for a suicide mission. In fact.. she feels more alive now than she has in months.
War World was a place that had a lot of problems to say the least. The skies were a dark red, a key understanding that the atmosphere had seen the ravages of time and war. While it was not a red atmosphere the sky was very unlike the Earthly Atmosphere everyone was used to. Stars twinkled, and could be seen through the skies that acted like a red sheet turning the usual white shine into more of a pinkish color.
There was still an atmosphere to breathe, and a yellow sun in the distance. Being away from a sun on a ship may have drained some powers to people, but they were not completely useless. Proof of the yellow sun being out there came before everyone landed. Those yellow beams were unmistakeable.
The ground beneath their feet was dark, baron, that much could be told by the greyish-brown color of it. Anyone with any shred of botony knowledge could tell this ground just went bad. Whether it was because of time, or other factors remained to be seen. Ruins of what used to be buildings were scattered about the planet. There was a small structure nearby them. Even with the stone cracked, broken, uncared for and unloved like the remains of an ancient society, some of the remains still looked anything far beyond Earth's architecture by several decades at a minimum. Space had a way of making Earth feel like an infinite despite her true age.
Where the Phoenix had gone was anyone else's guess. War World was set up to be a place for combatants to fight. A place where two gladiators fought for glory or personal freedom, and the masses got to enjoy the carnage. What was filmed was the carnage no one had hoped for. No one, on Earth and in space, wanted to see proof the Phoenix Force was alive, well, and hunting.
Supelass inquires, "I am not really certain about what we are facing and how we intend to deal with it. Can you explain it?"
As her firey form streaks across the dark and cold vastness of space, the Phoenix's Force looks massive with her wings spanning easily a five miles across. The glowing flames of the bird casting a wide comet like tail behind it. In the middle of this cosmic goddess is a single female figure acting as the heart of the deadly force. Her arms extended out on either side of her in the traditional 'T shape' flying pose. As she moves towards Warworld, her fire glowing eyes turn to the surface. As she enters into the atmosphere, her form shrinks and she lingers high in the sky. As the Phoenix opens her mind, she begins to touch every mind on the planet at once. She begins scanning the planet as if she was looking for someone...or something.
<<Find it by beautuful bird. Take it from his dead hand.>> Thanos commands to the cosmic goddess via his telepathic link. As the Phoenix lets out a shattering cry, she begins to glow in power and heat as she begins to fly towards the closest city. As she lands, she begins to burn brightly as she yells, "Mongul you worm. Bring me the stone." Jean slams her hands in a loud clap above her and a shock wave so terrible extends out from her that everything within a one mile radius is leveled in her path.
She ignores the people and their screams around her as she begins to walk towards a building in the distance.
Rogue had quietly smiled through the introduction, but had little to say. She'd shook Cir's hand in her gloved own, but really didn't speak anything. She didn't feel comfortable, at all, about any of this. She didn't know where she was, or what exactly she was doing... or if they were all about to get sucked into a bookcase inside of a black hole. She just walked wherever Carol walked, only slightly behind her... like a hooded handmaiden to a royal queen, or something.
"Jean is being possessed by the Phoenix Force. A truly cosmic entity. Which is somehow in turn being controlled by someone who... at last report is far less powerful than the Phoenix. Thanos is his name. Somehow.. he is in the pilot seat, so to speak. He wants the General, Marshall... whatever.. of Warworld. I'm hoping that we can slow down the Phoenix, maybe weaken it enough that Jean can regain control. Maybe somehow make Thanos spread himself thin or expend too much energy. I'd prefer if we can frustrate him so much that he puts in a personal appearance... ideally within reach of Bruce." she says with a smirk.
Then she turns and re-boards the shuttle, waiting for everyone to come aboard... “We are in orbit." says the male voice. "Phoenix is on approach. We need to get scarce, else someone think the Shi'ar are attacking WarWorld. So... launching you now." and POOF, now there -is- some sense of acceleration as the shuttle shoots out of a launch tube and rockets towards the surface in a steep dive. Right.. towards... Phoenix. Yeah... this could get rough. "Strap in everyone." she says, grinning like a maniac. Yeah... this is her true addiction. Not booze, adrenaline, anticipation of a -real- fight. Oh, and being at the controls of a high performance air/space craft. Re-entry heat sparkles on the mild shields of the shuttle, and Carol veers off at the last moment... "We can't let up though. We need to reach Jean..." the craft is set into hover.. the contragrav drive allowing almost no intertia in to trouble the passengers as she opens the side door with a control, "Okay, this is it!" she remarks as she surges up out of her seat and soars out of the hatch. "Rogue! Keep on my six!" she yells as she powerdives herself right... at.. Phoenix. Deathwish?
Cir-El hangs back for a minute thinking vbout wha she has been told. "It sounds like the cosmic force is limited by it's host," She says. She turns to Bruce, "Do you need a lift Daddy?"
Rogue stepped up when Carol did, from her space chair and she walked a few steps before she too was off of her metal-booted feet and flying out of the space car.... her hood somehow staying securely on her head due to wonderful tailoring! She flew right along behinde and beside Carol.
Bruce Banner stands near the door looking out. He has seen Jean only once before now just before she jetted out here. "Go ahead and becareful." he tells Cir and Sola. "I'll be along." indeed he needs room to do this. Sometimes the change is immediate and other times its gradual.
People scattered further, and hid deeper, because of the ship. Usually when crafts arrived it was bad. If they weren't already running and hiding due to the Phoenix, they would have due to the ship. The combination of both had every person here, which wasn't too moany as it was safe to call this planet Space's Version of Squatter's Hold.
<<Bring me the Stone Pretty Bird. Bring me the stone at any cost. Take it from a pile of corpses, if you must, but find it,>> the voice continued. They did not care how the stone came to them as long as it arrived. More lives lost was just that. He didn't care. Finding what was rightfully his was infinitely more important than sparring any obstacle. He did not know who or what the Phoenix was going to run into nor did he care. She was just his pretty bird.
As she cocks her head to the side, the Phoenix answers Thanos, "I do not sense the stone yet. It has to be here." The Phoenix was clearly distracted at the fact she was on a treasure hunt she didn't feel Carol or her team arrive. However, when she hears the shuttle land she turns to face it, and begins to laugh as Carol is heading for her. "I told you Marvel. Jean does not live here any more...you should mourn her lose and move on." As she looks at towards Rogue, she clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth.
"And you brought Rogue. Impressive to get the girl scared to accept who she is to even step off your planet." Jean lifts her hand, and swings it outward like she was bitching slapping a child back handed. The air before her turns into a wall of fire as it travels towards the two coming towards her.
"Okay, here we go." remarks Carol. She gestures for Rogue to -literally- follow behind her. On her six. Follow the leader. Then she accelerates just a bit to insure she's out front of Rogue. Her plan is to punch through the wall of fire, hopefully punching a hole to let Rogue have an opening the fly through. "She's stronger that you give her credit for!" she cries out as she charges. Then.. "Stone?" She shrugs and rams into the wall, hoping to absorb some of the power. She has no idea what sort of intensity that power might be. "And..." Over her avengers comm, she remarks, "I think it's time for Code Green!" Then.. it's through the flames and she screams as she absorbs SO MUCH POWER all at once. But she pours as much of it out at once in a blast towards Phoenix. "Jean! What Stone!?" she asks. She's a bit too distracted to -really- try to sense anything funky. But if Phoenix can't find it, she doubts -her- senses will be able to. Even if she were focused and had time to search. Interestingly, for all of her tactical ability, her plan is something along the lines of: Get her!
Rogue caught the allignment order from Carol and her arms went out to her sides spreading her cape out behind her... she rolled onto her right side and tumbled through the air until she was directly behind Carol. Her arms collapsed again down to her sides and her black cape went slack once more, flowing behind her again.... It was like a football play, right? And she was carrying the ball, with Carol as her guard? Marie wasn't sure... she just looked out ahead and stayed behind her commanding officer who was clearing the path for her... Rogue said nothing, there was nothing to be said... it was time only for action.
Cir-El is thinking aloud, "Phoenix said something about a stone. Daddy, what stone could a cosmic force want." She wants to join the fight, but just possibly there may be a different way to win than charging in.
Bruce Banner is watching as Carol and Marie as going full force at Jean. "I don't know but we need to make sure they don't get it. Lets go." he tells them and stepping back he takes off running leaping out of the door running as well towards Jean though way behind the others and still in human form.
-Recharge complete. Full power available.-
Sola has been waiting at the shuttle door for Danvers and Rogue to engage the Phoenix and catch her attention. Now that they have, it's time for the robot girl to make her entrance. Without a word, she jumps down to the ground, then breaks into a sprint the second she lands, her whip charging in her left hand as the energy ribbons on her helm come to life. "Finally. A worthy challenge."
The ground moves in various waves as everyone went for Phoenix. She had her orders. She had her tasks. Failure was not to be tolerated. Thanos wanted that stone and he was going to get it.
As Jean raises her hand, she re-absorbs the energy Carol shoots at her with a grunt. She growls in annoyance, "I felt that girl." As the group begins to advance towards her. As her eyes fall on the two they get closer, within inches. It is closer then most people would be allowed to get by the Phoenix.
"I am seeking the Power Gem." Her eyes flare in anger, "And your group is becoming a nuiscance. (sp?) If you wish to help me locate it. I will spare this planet and bring the stone to Thanos."
Okay, so Carol's never -really- known how to do subtle. She watches the Phoenix absorb her power and she smirks, "Okay, you can do it too. Let's see who's better at that trick!" And she dives right into the Phoenix aura. She's just a distraction though. She doesn't know if it'll work, but she says, "Rogue! Now! Try to get to Jean!" And she pours everything she has into a blast. Hoping that maybe.. just maybe Jean will see the plan in their minds, and actually -help-. As the blast fires, she adds at the top of her lungs, "I have something else to show you! Jean would know all about him. However Thanos.. you are blind! We already -have- the power gem. It's not on this world! But... Thanos, meet the Hulk!" She's hoping Bruce has a knack for timing here...
Rogue stayed right on the tail of Carol until the order was given and its then that she once again used the tech of her cape to help her spin, seemingly out of control, into an all new sudden course... one that would take her directly to where Jean was. She stuck her feet out and her cape billowed out like a parachute stopping a drag-racer. She stared straight at the Phoenix Force, face to face. "I only got one question for ya, Jean... and I came a long way to ask it..." She looked her 'friend' in the face and lifted both of her hands up (they were naked fingers now as she'd removed her gloves whiel flying) "Do you have ANY idea where the remote control is for the tv in the rec room? The kids been askin non stop for it, and ain't NONE of us able to find it." And with that ridiculous question asked, Anna-Marie attempted to slap her hands onto Jean's cheeks. (The facial ones).
Cir-El says to herself, "It would really help to get her to tell us what this power gem looks like. Since it looks like Direct is our plan though..." She picks up some large rocks and throws them as hard and fast as she can at the Phoenix, trying to distract her by moving around so each rock comes in at a different angle. Hopefully this will not hit any of her allies, super accuracy is not a trick she has so far.
Bruce Banner is running as fast as his legs can carry him. Indeed he should Hulk out lest he dies of heat stroke from this oven ball. Sweat is rolling down his face as he continues to run towards the others, "Right.. Meet Hulk!" and tripping he tumbles rolling forward like sonic the hedgehog across the ground. Coming to a stop he is laying on his back staring up at the sky still sweating though, "The ultimate sauna and way to lose weight." he sits up slowly staring at Phoenix/Jean <<Have to use a woman to do your job? Come on Thanos. Face me man to man unless you are a coward.>> getting to his feet he peels off his shirt letting it fall to the ground, <<Come on monkey man. Time to dance with the green devil>> he flexes narrowing his eyes but... Nothing is happening. Just a shirtless man with a hairy chest looking stupid.
Sola gets her speed boost on and now she's coming in hot, with only one chance to do this before she loses her advantage of being effectively invisible to Jean's telepathy. Altering her angle of approach slightly, she jumps at full speed and dive-slashes at Jean with her whip, using both hands for the best swing she can manage. The S-Lash's energy itself is now in a rigid form, allowing it to be wielded much like a sword, and it's been charged to its absolute maximum. It won't cut through her body, but it will hurt like hell as the energy passes through it. The angle she's taking now means Rogue shouldn't get hit as she goes in close.
"What is taking you so long, Pretty Bird? I want my gem," the tone of Thanos was becoming annoyed. Ground flew up as hulk marched. Between all of the energy and fire the stench was starting to get worse. Before the place smelled of burnt hair and desert, but now it was like burning hair mixed with sand. At least there was nothing to destroy here on this planet. The rocks were easy to pick up, dirt and dust fell off of them long before Cir El chucked them.
As Rogue's hands touch her cheek, the flush of memories begin to flow into Rogue's mind. The Sentinel attacks, the Phoenix finding her, Thanos finding her as her mind is linked with the Mind Gem, Thanos sending her to Ryut and Jean performing genocide on it's entire people, Thanos telling Phoenix what the Infinity Stones are, Jean locked within her own mind being tortured by Thanos, and her intentions to destroy the people of this planet if need be to find the Power Gem.
As the attacks begin to hit Phoenix, the flow of power that surrounds her becomes stronger. Rogue doesn't absorb a single ounce of her power but only seems to anger the Phoenix. She screams in anger and yells, "ENOUGH!" The power of her cry creates an explosion equal to 100 blocks of C4 going off all at once!
Well, even if the Phoenix isn't drained at all... at least there was knowledge gained. Carol ceases her attack as Rogue gets 'hands on' experience. And she focuses on her energy senses. Anything named 'Power Gem' is going to have a hell of a power and energy signature. That's her plan there. She wasn't quite expecting the explosive backlash. It's.. like the Millenium Falcon. Huge explosion. People might assume she was consumed.. and then she comes rocketing out of the explosion, and since it was pure force, not energy... she's pretty beat up by it. Already healing but beat up. "Pama!" she calls out as she flies back, hits the ground, bounces tiwce and skids to a stop. "Ow." she mutters.
The flooding memories made Rogue think that her powers were working, at first... she saw a ton of things come into her mind that weren't there before and a lot of it was simply, unpleasant... and not one damn bit of it was about that missing remote! Before she could fully process what she was seeing from Jean's memories, she realized that the old friend wasn't being drained of her energy... or being knocked out... And the explosion hit and hit hard! Rogue was sent flying backward, but she never left her feet.. its as if she was sliding on ice with her hands up shielding her face! When it stopped, she found herself a good fifty yards back from where she had previously been, with smoking rising off of her body... she scanned herself for any active fires, saw none on her once brand-new-suit and then glared in the direction that Jean had gone... She lifted off and started to fly toward where Carolw as to regroup...
Cir-El is a ways back from the center of the explosion. She is knocked down, but not harmed, and is back on her feet in a moment. She says to Bruce, "Daddy, Sola was in that explosion!" Then she jumps towards Jean and propels herself forward with her rocket power at her top speed, striking kils a 100 pound bullet moving at mach 2.
The stench is terrible, its worse than the time Gene decided to experiment in the kitchen. Bruce is knocked backwards by the blow the hair on his body being singed off the chest including head and as he goes backwards the green monster comes out. Rolling backwards in a ball he comes to a stop on his feet and roars out loudly <<FEAR THE HULK!!!!>> The .. bald hulk? Maybe a few sprigs on top. Curls? The words from Cir fall on deaf ears as the green in his eyes darken and he begins running towards the phoenix in a blind rage. Incoming! The Hulk leaps towards her to attempt any sort of impact.
Fortunately, Sola's momentum was already carrying her far from Jean, and her proximity scanners went off just in time for her to roll with the blast. Her body armor is flat out blown off in places and part of her lower leg mechanisms are exposed, but her body is surprisingly unharmed otherwise. -Energy at 70 percent. Armor breach, left shin.- She digs in her feet and starts sprinting at Jean again, this time charging the S-Lash with the same type of telekinetic force energy that struck her. "Time to see how you like it."
The ground was singed. Everything smelled of burnt hair, ozone and nearly everything else caught in the crossfire. Parts of the ground shined because the heat was high enough to create glass in a few specks that would have been annoying, and nothing more.
Thanos's fingers steepled as he was waiting to hear back from his lapbird. She had a gem to find. The bonus to killing people was the attention it garnered. Death was calling to him, and he yearned for her embrace.
As she shakes off the mental attack of Rogue's touch, her eyes go wide as the Hulk massive green form is flying at her. She doesn't even seemed phased by the others coming at her. The Phoenix raises her hands up just in time to form a telekinetic shield of immense power. The shockwave crashing outward like a stone hitting the pond from the Hulk's impact. The invisible bubble of force sinks into the ground as the second round of attacks begin to slam into the shielding.
"I am having a mild challenge with some of the Avengers. I will not be but a moment Thanos." The Phoenix says outloud in reply to her 'Master'. The Hulk is clearly the threat here, and his strength has the Phoenix slightly concerned. "This is your last chance Marvel. Go back to Earth or I will destroy you."
"Okay Rogue..." says Carol as she gets to her feet... "Hulk is in play. Time you and I go into support mode. Looks like... robot girl? Well, one of Hulk's adopted daughters might need backup. I've got me a gem to find while Hulk keeps her occupied." She pauses and asks, "You get anything from Jean?" She asks that as she closes her eyes and focuses -entirely- on trying to reach out, to push her senses past their normal limit. "I might need some energy..." She is searching for the single biggest power source that -isn't- Phoenix.
Rogue landed next to Carol with practiced ease, her metal boots crunching down on the scorched earth. "It didn't work." She told the other one unceremoniously... "That ain't Jean... thats something else all togethah." She glanced up to see the Hulk literally leaping into action... and then she looked back at Carol. "I can try to help, but I may just end up gettin' in the way of all that action." She lifted up off of the ground again then, and started to put her gloves back upon her charcoal-smudged hands. "And all I got off her was a bunch'a memories I don't want, and much of it involves the attrocities that this flaming bitch has been causin'."
Cir-El hits the barrier and bounces off, the fire aspect leaving her slightly singed. She hears Carol's call for energy and says, "Carol, Incoming." then focuses her red sun burst on the heat an light aspects and proguects it at Carol as a ray of concentrated energy to absorb. She says, to Rogue, "Any memories about the gem. What it is, how she intends to locate it, how she will know it when she does find it?"
The Hulk is in a power lock with Phoenix and isn't giving up easily. Growling deeply he punches through the force field or at least that is the raging plan. "SMASH SMASH SMASH!" he chants to himself.
Sola stops short, once Banner's alter ego takes over and starts laying a pounding on the Phoenix. Using the precision that comes with robotic senses, she lashes away with TK force against Phoenix's force field. She's aiming her strikes very carefully to absolutely under no circumstances strike Hulk - she knows she couldn't survive him getting angry at her. Even damaged, though, she's functional enough for this.
As Miss Marvel went looking out into the planet all the energy she picked up was latent and small. Rumors about the infinity gems have gone to all corners of space. The one common thread was the power. They were like the old wives tales of space. Each story the stone became more powerful and did more than the rest. So, now feeling this planet there was nothing that came close to matching this description save for MAYBE the Phoenix.
The ozone was still scorched and burnt. The people hiding went deeper undergorund as they were familiar with the sounds of battle, but this was out of their comfort zones. For all intensive purposes the planet was just the heroes and phoenix.
Smirking, Carol shakes her head, "Seriously. Thanos is an idiot." mutters Carol as she gets more energy, her senses growing more and more potent as she gets charged up by Cir-El. She rolls her neck and lifts into the air, golden energy seeping from her eyes, "He sent the Phoenix.. to search for the Power Gem, and the only thing with that level of power on this whole ball of rock... -is- the Phoenix. So unless Jean's hiding it in her bra... I think he just wasted a bunch of power." That said, she lifts into the air and charges her power... before unleashing as much photonics as she can pour out... into Phoenix.
As the onslaught of attacks slams into her shield, the shield is buckling under the stress as each shockwave sends energy out from the attacks. As she growls in anger, the Phoenix's eyes begin to flare. "You are starting to piss me off Jolly Green Giant. I think it is time for all of you to return to your ship." Jean is suddenly floating above the entire group as she looks down at them.
She extends her hands out in her infamous T-Shaped pose and the firey figure of the bird surrounds her.
"Send my regards to Earth." She extends her left hand outward and swirls of flamings begin to expand from her. Each wave of flame engulfing each of the Avengers and their friends. In an explosion of light they are gone from the surface and placed back onto the ship. Without their shuttle.
Rogue flew away from Carol and back up into the sky to try and figure out what else she could do to help? Maybe if the Hulk got flung away she could grab him and throw him back? She passed by Cir just in time to hear the question and when she was about to reply to the girl Jean had another tantrum.... in a flash she found herself in a new place? Marie took a moment to sniff the air, her senses falling back to those she'd temporarily borrowed from another mutant recently... she then relaxed and just... sat down on the floor of whatever strange space bus she was just sent to. "So much for being useful..." She quietly muttered.
Cir-El suddenly finds herself elsewhere. She cuts off feeding energy to Carol and looks around, trying to see what is happening before selecting a new course of action. Cir-El says, "regards to Earth" sounds like she is going to be sent there soon"
One moment Hulk is battling Jean and then he is sucked into a flaming vortex shifting him back into Bruce before being deposited on the ship. Naked and covered in a sheen of sweat his body is sunburn red and hairless. He felt like he was literally on fire and it hurt so bad sound can't even emit from his mouth.
Slash. Slash. Teleport. The confusion of the effect is enough to make Sola's concentration lapse enough that she is only using her whip's normal energy... which is unfortunately, very hazardous to electronics. "Haaaa--crap!" She halts her slash at the last possible second to avoid damaging a panel that may or may not be
As soon as she reached the ship, Carol lifted a hand to her ear. "Starjammers. The gem the Phoenix was after wasn't on War World. I think -Jean- got us out of harm's way... the shuttle is still down there. Nobody's taking it. Could you like.. drop us off and come back for it?" she asks as she heads over to Rogue, dropping to crouch beside her. "Okay, tell me what you learned. I need intel... this is more than a single fight, and there's a reason the best Marines are called