The Gates: Politics

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

The Professor tells Ororo and Scott the Czech government's response to the idea of help with their shapeshifter problem. That response is... about what could be expected.


"I'm getting the sense that this isn't good news," Scott said as he and Ororo headed towards the Professor's study. Charles had summoned them, and his mental 'tone' had even felt grave. He'd been more or less sequestered in his study, on the phone, for the bulk of the twenty-four hours or so since Nathan had first called from Prague with the news about Mystique. Scott wasn't even sure how much he'd slept.

"There are very few things relating to Prague right now that I think would qualify as good news," Ororo replied, stretching her steps to keep up with Scott's longer strides. "And after speaking with Nathan, I would say the likelihood of those things happening right now are very slim."

Charles was sitting behind his desk as they walked in. He looked tired, and about as somber as Scott had expected. "Please sit down," he said, and it was a sign of the situation that there was no tea waiting for this impromptu meeting. "I've just gotten off the phone with Agent Cooper."

Ororo perched on the edge of one of the comfortable chairs, feeling as if she was sitting on pins and needles. "What does she say? Is there anything to be done about Mystique?"

"The President, Val tells me, has placed a call to his counterpart in the Czech Republic, bringing Mystique's presence to his attention and offering unspecified assistance - our assistance, of course. The offer was declined." Charles looked his age today, but went on in the same steady tone. "It was, I'm afraid, a last resort. I've been in touch with my own contacts, Istvan Barath has been working tirelessly from Budapest since I called him yesterday... neither of us have made any progress. This has been defined as an internal matter by the Czech Republic, and international assistance is not desired."

"Damn," Scott said quietly. "Even knowing that a member of the Brotherhood's there making a volatile situation worse?"

"Even so," Charles said quietly. "If anything, I fear that revealing the information has only raised more questions, and pushed the Czech government into a more self-protective stance on the issue."

That was always a possible outcome, Ororo knew, but they had to try anyway. "At least now they know," she murmured, frowning to herself. "Even if what they choose to do with that information is not what we would choose to do. What else did Agent Cooper say?"

"Very little. Except to caution us against taking unilateral action. It is," Charles murmured, his eyes falling to his desktop, "an unnecessary warning, in truth. From everything we know and everything Nathan has told us, it would be impossible for us to gain access to Smichov quietly if we attempted to do so without official permission. The Czechs are only increasing their security on Smichov's perimeter, with this news - that was the reassurance they chose to give the President."

What precisely more troops at checkpoints were going to do to stop Mystique, Scott didn't know. But he supposed that something else they didn't know was whether Mystique was alone - and wasn't that a bad thought. "So that's it, then?" Scott fell silent as soon as he asked the question, looking troubled. If they were locking down Smichov completely, Pete's people wouldn't be able to get in there to find her either. There didn't seem to be many options here at all.

"What does this mean for Nathan and the others? I cannot imagine he would voluntarily want to leave, but should the situation take a turn for the worse, will they be able to get out without too much trouble?" Ororo asked.

"We've protected their identities as the source of the information in question. As far as the Czech government is concerned, Nathan and his group are still nothing more than a fully accredited observer team. That status should protect them," Charles said, although there was an edge of worry in his voice.

"They could always hook up with those other observer teams if need be and they have trouble getting out?" Scott suggested. "Although Nate's probably thought of that..."

"Even so, we should make every effort to speak with him again. Even if we cannot be there, there may be something we can do to help keep them safe." Ororo said this with as much conviction as she could muster, trying not to let Charles' obvious weariness and resignation worry her too much.

"I will speak to Nathan today," Charles said. "To explain things, and to remind him that it would be unwise to take matters into his own hands. We do not, after all, know if Mystique is the only member of the Brotherhood in Smichov." He looked towards the window, staring out at the grounds. "I fear this will not end well," he said more quietly.

Ororo glanced at Scott, letting the worry show on her face just a little. "It is still afternoon in Prague," she said, turning back to the Professor. "Why don't you get a little rest before you contact Nathan? Scott and I will monitor things for the meantime."

"I'll go right down to the coms room and monitor the newsfeeds," Scott said in immediate support. This didn't happen very often, the two of them needing to conspire to make Charles get some rest, but it had happened a few times over the years.

"Perhaps that would be best." Charles mustered a faint smile. "And if Nathan does not take my advice about remaining in an observer's role, at least the solution is a simple call to Scotland."