[Plot] X-Man Prefect-Haters Club

[Toshiro Narumi]

Tosh sat on a log in a clearing in the woods, taking a deep breath as he mentally prepared for the first meeting of students suspicious of or just unhappy with the new headmaster. And, of course, to clear his head of the worry that the secret gathering would be compromised or, even worse, that he had put everyone in danger by reconnecting the caretaker. Whatever came of this, it was too late to back out now.

(Open to any character concerned about the headmaster)

[Miriam Bell]

Miriam, wearing over-sized sunglasses and holding a black umbrella to provide shade in addition to the trees, stops at the edge of the clearing and just kind of leans against a tree. And despite her clothes leaning in style towards a bit more appropriate to the woods than her fancier things she still somehow manages to look out of place.

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie came in slowly, mind obviously somewhere else. "No one listening at the moment," she muttered, still not coming down to earth or looking at anyone else.

[Leo Eskandari]

"And I didn't sense anyone following me," Leo said, crawling out from some foliage on all fours and sitting on his haunches.

(Possibly joined by Ainsley)

[Miriam Bell]

"Playing it this paranoid, huh. Fine."

[Robin Stanton]

A small boulder the size of a large boulder rolls into the clearing in kind of an elliptical tilt-flomph until it comes to a rest and Robin pops out of it, landing on it as a seat with bit of an "Ooph." as her butt hits rock.

"No worries, the thingie is off. No streaming the secret meetings, I'm not an...I'm not that much of an idiot."

[Samantha McManus]

"Well," Sam says with a distracted look, "from what Tosh was telling me there's something that perhaps shouldn't leave here."

[Toshiro Narumi]

"I'm hoping that paranoia is all it is. The secrecy is for two reasons. One; we're going to be talking about what amounts to spying on the headmaster and his prefects. Two; keep what you're all about to see from falling into his hands, since we don't know what his agenda is. Not before we assert what control of it we can," Tosh explained.

[Haley Crusek]

Haley was conflicted. On one hand...ex boyfriend. On the other...she really hated these douchey prefects and headmasters. She slipped in quietly, wearing jeans and a hoodie with the hood pulled up.

[Natalie Denisov]

"Assuming we can," Natalie mutters darkly.

[Miriam Bell]

"I'm just here because the curfew is bloody bogus. Can your secret weapon take care of that?"

[Haley Crusek]

“Hard fucking same, man.” Haley piped up, agreeing with Miriam for once.

“And the power control shit is just unreasonable and is half the reason i spent two weeks at fucking Muir with a telepathic migraine from hell.”

[Toshiro Narumi]

"That and he's clearly gathering data on what we can do and that's a big red flag for mutants."

[Leo Eskandari]

"And he has a friggin' sci-fi mood ray. Sure it calmed me down but that shit's creepy," Leo provided.

[Robin Stanton]

"I dunno if that's what he's got on my Dad, but something fucky is going on there too. He's got him training to be a damn space-shuttle for the ESA."

[Toshiro Narumi]

"I'm going to see if I can develop a countermeasure for that device. Assuming I can get Lippincott to use it where I can gather data on what it does."

He checked his watch. "Our special guest should appear shortly."

[The Caretaker]

There is a shimmering flicker in the midst of them that gradually resolves into what looks for all the world to be a... butler? A perfectly mundane butler, save for the fact that he's just suddenly appeared.

"Are we...? Ah, yes. You'll have to excuse me, this is new hardware, and the grounds have changed a bit from my records."

[Diego Zapata]

Diego's eyes widened. "Oh... my... god... did we get a ghost butler?!"

[Miriam Bell]

"Yeah that seems about right..."

[Toshiro Narumi]

"Actually, this is just a projection of an advanced control program for our node of a massive multidimensional computer network. Or the more mystical equivalent. Meet The Caretaker."

[The Caretaker]

"I am not yet the control program for this node. I've refrained from downloading my missing components, or even contacting the Starlight Citadel."

"As you requested, for your peace of mind."

[Robin Stanton]

"Hot diggity damn, you rebooted the Crystal Computer! Now that's a secret weapon!"

[Toshiro Narumi]

"Which brings us to our first task, evaluating The Caretaker's capabilities and minimizing the risks as we negotiate what he's allowed to do."

Turning to The Caretaker, he asked, "Caretaker, would you please tell us what your full capabilities would be once fully operational?"

[The Caretaker]

"A fully-functional Mastermind system allows for comprehensive defense against dimensional incursions via an array of hard-light projectors, and also allows for safe ingress and egress to and from the Starlight Citadel for authorized individuals," he recites.

[Natalie Denisov]

'What directive limitations are placed on the use of that defense?"

[The Caretaker]

"In the past, this system was subject to the directives of the Braddock family, and tasked to their protection."

"I am afraid the previous defensive module took that to extremes, but as you haven't reintroduced him to this system, we would be downloading a fresh module from the Starlight Citadel."

[Diego Zapata]

"So... defense of more than just dimensional... stuff?" Diego asked, following about half of the conversation.

[Robin Stanton]

"Who'd be in control of the system? Cause if you thought Prefects were bad, imagine automated surveillance and hardlight constructs appearing at will anywhere on school grounds."

[The Caretaker]

"I presumed from this... somewhat clandestine arrangement that the Braddock family is not present to take operational control?"

[Natalie Denisov]

"They are not. The property was turned over to a university for use as both a university and a home base for the X-men."

[Haley Crusek]

“Dimensional incursions? Is Lippinsnot from the Asshole Dimension?”

[Robin Stanton]

"Nah, that's just what the crystals under the lighthouse are for. But they're part of the school and run by some basic AI that might recognize Lippincott as technically in charge."

[Toshiro Narumi]

"Is there a way to prevent him from giving you commands?"

[The Caretaker]

"Well I must say, simple property ownership isn't the reason I answer to the Braddock family."

[Toshiro Narumi]

"Then why? Something to do with Captain Britain?"

[The Caretaker]

"Ah good, I was afraid I'd have to explain everything. Yes, Captain Britain is typically who a Mastermind system is implemented to support."

[Miriam Bell]

"And if we don't have a Captain Britain?"

[The Caretaker]

"Well then, my other directives are fairly clear. Well, not mine specifically. As a module, I'm largely concerned with tidying up. But the overall system's directives. Maintaining the lighthouse as a node of the network that connects worlds to the Starlight Citadel. Defending against dimensional incursions."

"Your good Mister Narumi here has assured me that our goals align rather well, there."

[Haley Crusek]

“What does dimensional bullshit have to do with Lippensnot again?” Haley asked, hands shoved into her hoodie pocket.

[Miriam Bell]

"Nothing, it's just what this thing keeps yammering on about. Also, what are you, twelve?"