[Plot] Speaking With Management

[Natalie Denisov]

In the depths of the Crystal Computer, Clarion is crossing all her arms. "We have to contact the Citadel. You need to appraise them of the situation."

"But you've been making periodic reports," Natalie says, trying her best to look busy.

"Periodic reports are fine in normal circumstances, but this is not normal. First, we've re-established a spoke. There are protocols that have to be observed. Secondly, it's a spoke that had an interdicted module. They want reassurance. You *have* to make contact."

"Maybe when we're done with the administration building rebuild. I want everything well in..."

"Intercept! Caretaker and Guardian can handle that rebuild. It's Caretaker's directive. She can manage."

Natalie sighs, "Alright, alright. We'll go talk to the Citadel." Her avatar shimmers and her usual casual outfit is replaced with something that looks more like her X-Men outfit. "What do you think?"

"It'll do," Clarion says, "Making contact now."

[Narrator]

Making contact now is much easier than through the ramshackle crystal node and without any authority but what her technopathy provided. Quantum states within infinite crystal facets shift, align to their default dimensional coordinates and within a moment reality folds in on itself and condenses her into a narrow beam of data and light that fires through this layer of reality and into the space beyond. It's near instantaneous but with the processing power at her disposal she can process what would otherwise be a mere flash.

Floating within a vast empty space are the sharp and angular spires of the Starlight Citadel. A silver platform, pierced by abstract golden plates that encircle towers and high-rises at it's center and support it in a fanned base of supporting arches. Every once in a while a snap of light shoots into or out from the base, past the massive plates as the whole structure slowly turns within the multicolored churning and folding of infinite space, occasionally creating aperture through which bright flashes of stars twinkle. And then she crystalizes into a hard-light avatar on an arrival platform in a huge arched room ringed with large circular windows through which beams of light fall.

"Arrival from Earth Two-Four-Two-One-Two." a pleasant voice chimes. "Authorized Mastermind Node designation Intercept. Welcome."

[Natalie Denisov]

Much nicer than the last time I was here.

"Thank you," she says, stepping out of the arrival zone and looking around for an exit. "I don't suppose there's an up-to-date map of this place?"

[Narrator]

With a soft ding she's provided with a data package containing a detailed map of the Citadel, although large chunks of it are left blank for, presumably, security reasons.

Code: Select all

Arrival Hub
Security Customs
Central Authority Chambers
Dimensional Forum
Corps Quarters
Main Promenade
Repository
Quantum Observatory
Archival Repository
Dimensional Orrery

and so on, areas of the Citadel are labelled along with a number of Projection Nodes that probably serve as a form of swift traversal for hard-light projections such as herself. She does notice that access to them is blocked at the moment, flagged with 'customs clearance pending'. Similarly, around the circular platform she materialized on is a faint red shimmer of a force-field of some kind with a friendly but stern broadcast of 'Please Wait - Manual Confirmation Required'.

[Natalie Denisov]

"Of course," she says, standing and trying to get a sense of what the system is looking for or how long until manual confirmation arrives.

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"Well," a voice from behind her comes, "I'd thought the automated systems were in need of calibration. It seems they were accurate."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie turns around, trying to put her best game face on because she desperately does not want to screw this up. "Hopefully I didn't upset the system too badly."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

At first glance, Natalie might think she was looking at the UK's noted wealthy socialite, Courtney Ross. She's clad in a flowing white gown, and a fur-trimmed cloak.

"Yes, well the court has come to expect trouble from your direction. You're from a lively corner of the cosmos."

[Natalie Denisov]

"Well, I'm hoping to stabilize some of that now that the system is restored. I'm Intercept, or Natalie Denisov when I'm not working with the X-Men."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"You are aware that it goes both ways, aren't you? That sometimes we need to defend from your world, just as we try to keep dimensional flotsam out of it."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I understand that we've had an issue with a previous Caretaker module. Beyond that, I'm not sure what you're referring to. To my knowledge, none of the individuals with access to the Lighthouse has designs on interdimensional conquest."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"But the lighthouse is, nonetheless, active again."

"That is going to draw attention from some quarters."

[Natalie Denisov]

"No more so than the university and its inhabitants that surround it. And the X-Men have dealt with those issues as well. I'm sure the court will find them capable of defenders for the lighthouse."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"I suppose Brian Braddock's approval of your little operation does count for something."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I haven't met him, but by all accounts he doesn't seem the type of person to hand his family home over to people he didn't trust."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"Then it turns out we'll be working together," she says as she waves a hand and the barrier around Natalie dissolves.

"I'm Opal Luna Saturnyne, the head of the Dimensional Development Court. It's our mission to ensure that cross-dimensional contamination remains within acceptable tolerances on the universes within our purview, and issue... corrections, when those parameters are not met."

[Natalie Denisov]

"A pleasure, and if I understand you correctly, then handling those corrections is something the X-Men are familiar with."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"I'm sure you have. Things that can be stopped in the early phases are of course the best scenarios. If things cascade beyond that, the options narrow to decidedly more drastic action."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I can imagine our dimension would appreciate avoiding... drastic action," she says apprehensively.

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"Query the records on the Jaspers Warp if you're ever curious."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I will make a note of it," Natalie says, "Now what do you require of me?"

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"I suppose I ought to show you around. Ordinarily, Mastermind systems have the citadel's layout already programmed in. You're rather not an ordinary Mastermind, though."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I hope that will be an advantage, but yes, a map is not the same as seeing it."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"This way," she says, leading the way down a busy promenade.

"I usually reserve this for newly inducted members of the Captain Britain Corps, but I suspect it will leave just as much an impression on you."

They make their way through the promenade and wind around to a side area. At first glance it appears to be nothing so much as a balcony, albeit one that is dwarfed by the sheer scale of the structure it resides in.

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie can't help but look around like a tourist. "The Citadel is a magnificent structure."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"You're looking in the wrong direction."

She gestures out beyond the Citadel.

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie turns and looks out in the indicated direction.

[Narrator]

The drop beyond the balcony is more than precipitous, the Citadel tapering away underneath them while the central ring hangs above them like golden clouds, individual pieces of it turning clock-wise and counter, slowly gliding past each other to some unknown purpose. And past that the vast empty space of dark, almost black purple, streaked with colors that swirl like ink in water and into tight spirals that twinkle like stars in the distance. It feels like she's looking at a canvas or membrane or like she's on the inside of an opaque soap bubble. Delicately perched atop infinity.

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"This is what we're fighting for, Natalie Denisov."

[Natalie Denisov]

One could spend a lifetime analyzing what she was seeing, how the objects were interacting and moving. She just nods a little numbly, mildly overloaded with the sight. "I see. It's quite the sight and not one I'd ever expected to see."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"Every member of the Captain Britain Corps who I've taken out here has told me what they saw looking out at this, and no two have seen quite the same thing."

"So tell me, what do you see?"

[Natalie Denisov]

"I'm... not entirely sure how to answer that question, but I'll try. Color, space, what I assume are the lights of distant and not-so-distant dimensions. I really don't have a frame of reference for it."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"Nobody has a frame of reference for it, and yet on some level everyone does. Everyone's mind encapsulates what they're seeing within what they know."

[Natalie Denisov]

"It's all about systems. I look out there and I wonder how it works. Not just the lights and colors, but the rings, the wall, the structure. The *system*. But I guess that's the technopath in me."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"And you're not wrong. On a certain level, you're on the right track."

"But that's because everyone sees the part that they think they understand, and the rest fades into the background."

[Natalie Denisov]

"And we don't have the luxury of forgetting 'the rest'."

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"You'll understand the rest in time. It's not crucial yet."

[Natalie Denisov]

"Well, that's good to hear. I'd hate to have to take the full written exam just after getting on the job," she says with the air of someone unused to making jokes in such a context.

[Opal Luna Saturnyne]

"We'll... put off your first meeting with the Lady of the Northern Skies, I think."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie freezes up a little, "Sorry. Did I overstep?"