X-Men Mission: Opera Redux
Jan. 22nd, 2008 07:21 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsDavid Langstrom comes to the mansion with an odd proposal for the X-Men.
In to the belly of the beast. It was an apt analogue, Langstrom considered. Originally, Val Cooper was supposed to have taken this briefing, but the Director had been firm. It had been the Mossad that had approached the administration, and the Director was tired of having the CIA's intelligence washing through Treasury every time a mutant came up on a report. As the agency specialists on mutants and how they effected the international situation, Langstrom had been tapped to deliver the highly unorthodox offer. In fact, his 'past experience' with the X-Men during the Alactraz incident had been tapped as a key factor.
Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.
It wasn't even that David Langstrom didn't respect or trust Charles Xavier, although the number of people Langstrom trusted in general was low. It was the fact that trust was expected. For a man who had lived his entire professional life explaining the reasons for every action taken to superior officers, superior agents, and finally, the duly elected representatives of the people of the United States, the 'trust me' approach was offensive. It was another point in which mutants like the X-Men flirted dangerously close with the line Magneto had crossed.
His father has once told him that you can trust a man to be a man, and trust a system to be a system. It was stupid to expect individual insight or kindness from a system, and just as stupid to expect a lack of personal bias or influence from a person. In many ways, Langstrom had always been very progressive, as he never thought of mutants as anything other than people. The trouble, of course, was after a long career in military intelligence and then the CIA, he didn't trust people very much.
The student dropped him off at an office door, set back in a rich decorated hallway. Unlike his own institutional style home in Langley, this was obviously a place where people lived as well as worked. Langstrom opened the door, stepping into a neatly appointed office. He recognized Xavier immediately, seating behind his desk. In one of the chairs across from him sat a serene looking black woman, with shockingly white hair. His mind flipped up a card; Storm. One of the leaders of the X-Men, if their information was correct. Xavier was taking his visit seriously.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon Mr. Langstrom," the professor said, tilting his head slightly in greeting. "Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable," Charles said, gesturing towards an open chair next to Ororo. "I am not sure if you have previously had the pleasure of meeting my associate, Ororo Munroe. She is the headmistress of the school, though I imagine it is her role as one of the leaders of the X-Men that would hold more of your interest."
"Hello," Ororo said, turning in her seat and offering Langstrom a hand. "It seemed best to have a representative of the team here this afternoon, to best dissemble information if necessary. I hope my presence is unobjectionable."
"Of course not." Langstrom said, slightly stiffly. His body language made it obvious he was on guard in this room, although not in an offensive manner. Langstrom's entire career was based on secrets, and sitting across from a man who could access them all with literally just a thought couldn't be anything other than unnerving. "I know Agent Cooper told you that the Administration had an unusual offer to pass along. I apologize for the secrecy, but quite literally, this is a matter of national security. I must ask that, regardless of your decision, this information does not leave this room."
Langstrom waited for the nods before continuing. At least one relief was that the X-Men had worked with the Oval Office before, and he didn't need to elaborate on the legal penalties of the information being leaked. "Based on the timelines that have been shared with us, eight days ago a mole within the Iranian Defense Ministry passed along information to the Israeli Mossad that Iran had located a mutant with unusual powers, and under national law, had drafted him into national service in their energy program. According to reports, the mutant has the unique ability to transmute metals from one type to another; an actual ability to turn lead into gold. However, the Iranian Defense Ministry had another metal in mind. Lead into enriched uranium."
Not so unique the professor thought as an image of Tommy flashed to his mind. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone again as Xavier focused on the problem at hand. "Ah," said the professor, steepling his fingers. "That is rather concerning, to put it mildly. Am I right to assume you are here to request our assistance in containing the mutant?" Charles had chosen his words carefully. He would not send his team to neutralize a threat unless he was absolutely certain there was no other path to pursue.
"Not exactly." Langstrom said. "Israel is planning to make a strike on the facility where the young man is being housed. It's a partially constructed power plant in the western region of the country. Much like their Opera mission into Iraq in 1982, the IDF is tasked to destroy the work completed on the plant, and to eliminate any stocks of enriched uranium and their means of making it. That includes the mutant."
Langstrom paused to draw another document from his bag, calmly reading through the state sanctioned murder. After decades at the CIA, nothing a government chose to do phased the man. "However, there are members of the Israeli government and defense force that feel a certain debt to you, Professor, and are less... willing to use the same kind of techniques as their predecessors. Therefore, they have asked the American executive to contact you and make a singular offer. If you wish, the IDF will allow a team of X-Men to accompany their strikeforce, and allow you to remove the mutant without harm. There are additional conditions as to where the mutant is allowed to be sent once removed, but he will not be harmed. This offer does add a considerable amount of danger to the mission, and we're aware that it is somewhat grudgingly made. However, all the same, if you agree, you will have the opportunity to save the mutant's life. If not, the IDF will neutralize him along with the plant. He's far too dangerous for Israel to be known to have under their control."
Glancing at the professor, Ororo frowned slightly. While of course they didn't want to condemn this likely innocent mutant to be 'neutralized', it was also a dangerous undertaking for the X-Men to attempt. "It seems that if it does become known, we would be left in an extremely difficult position. Is there anything to ensure the mutant's safety then?"
"Nothing. Professor, Miss Munroe, this deal is a poison pill in many ways. This mutant could potentially destabilize the Middle East, and Israel's pre-emptive decision isn't all that surprising. This offer is." Langstrom passed over the files. "If you can bring the mutant out, the Israelis and the United States will help to re-settle him in a location where he's monitored and can't be exploited. Well, we hope. But if something goes wrong, the US government will disavow we had any involvement in their Israeli mission, and will state in the most forceful terms that any actions made by American citizens are of their own volition. In short, we'll hang you out to dry. We'd have to."
He slipped his bag back behind his chair. "Speaking from my own experience at the CIA, I'd strongly argue against getting involved in this mission if it was suggested as a covert operation to us. But, you have different capabilities and motivations. We just want to be clear that we're acting as nothing more than a messenger in this case. Accepting or declining this offer will not effect your relationship with the government, or Israel, I'd assume, in any way."
The decisions that Charles Xavier was faced with on a daily basis were never easy ones, but some were more challenging than others. The professor took a moment to study the file Langstrom had handed over before saying anything. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to give you an immediate answer, though I know you will need one quickly." He wanted the chance to consult with Ororo privately and a long distance call to Scott in Budapest was also in order. This was no simple mission to send the team on - it would require both of his team leaders giving their support for him to send the team. Despite having little doubt that both Cyclops and Storm would chose to help the mutant, it was not a decision to be made on the spur of the moment or independently.
"If you wish to send in a team, they will need to be in Israel in the next 12 hours. Sabra, whom I believe you have worked with before, is your IDF liaison. You can make any arrangements with her." Langstrom stood up. "Whatever your decision, please do not notify the government. It would be better for us to not know. Professor, Miss Munroe, thank you both for your time."
The CIA man walked out of the office with a sense of relief. No matter what the X-Men did, the government of the United States was safe from any fallout. That was his only priority. Personally, he wondered if they'd risk the kind of situation that Israel was proposing, potentially catapulting the X-Men onto the world's political stage if they made a mistake. Was a single mutant worth the risk?
In to the belly of the beast. It was an apt analogue, Langstrom considered. Originally, Val Cooper was supposed to have taken this briefing, but the Director had been firm. It had been the Mossad that had approached the administration, and the Director was tired of having the CIA's intelligence washing through Treasury every time a mutant came up on a report. As the agency specialists on mutants and how they effected the international situation, Langstrom had been tapped to deliver the highly unorthodox offer. In fact, his 'past experience' with the X-Men during the Alactraz incident had been tapped as a key factor.
Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.
It wasn't even that David Langstrom didn't respect or trust Charles Xavier, although the number of people Langstrom trusted in general was low. It was the fact that trust was expected. For a man who had lived his entire professional life explaining the reasons for every action taken to superior officers, superior agents, and finally, the duly elected representatives of the people of the United States, the 'trust me' approach was offensive. It was another point in which mutants like the X-Men flirted dangerously close with the line Magneto had crossed.
His father has once told him that you can trust a man to be a man, and trust a system to be a system. It was stupid to expect individual insight or kindness from a system, and just as stupid to expect a lack of personal bias or influence from a person. In many ways, Langstrom had always been very progressive, as he never thought of mutants as anything other than people. The trouble, of course, was after a long career in military intelligence and then the CIA, he didn't trust people very much.
The student dropped him off at an office door, set back in a rich decorated hallway. Unlike his own institutional style home in Langley, this was obviously a place where people lived as well as worked. Langstrom opened the door, stepping into a neatly appointed office. He recognized Xavier immediately, seating behind his desk. In one of the chairs across from him sat a serene looking black woman, with shockingly white hair. His mind flipped up a card; Storm. One of the leaders of the X-Men, if their information was correct. Xavier was taking his visit seriously.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon Mr. Langstrom," the professor said, tilting his head slightly in greeting. "Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable," Charles said, gesturing towards an open chair next to Ororo. "I am not sure if you have previously had the pleasure of meeting my associate, Ororo Munroe. She is the headmistress of the school, though I imagine it is her role as one of the leaders of the X-Men that would hold more of your interest."
"Hello," Ororo said, turning in her seat and offering Langstrom a hand. "It seemed best to have a representative of the team here this afternoon, to best dissemble information if necessary. I hope my presence is unobjectionable."
"Of course not." Langstrom said, slightly stiffly. His body language made it obvious he was on guard in this room, although not in an offensive manner. Langstrom's entire career was based on secrets, and sitting across from a man who could access them all with literally just a thought couldn't be anything other than unnerving. "I know Agent Cooper told you that the Administration had an unusual offer to pass along. I apologize for the secrecy, but quite literally, this is a matter of national security. I must ask that, regardless of your decision, this information does not leave this room."
Langstrom waited for the nods before continuing. At least one relief was that the X-Men had worked with the Oval Office before, and he didn't need to elaborate on the legal penalties of the information being leaked. "Based on the timelines that have been shared with us, eight days ago a mole within the Iranian Defense Ministry passed along information to the Israeli Mossad that Iran had located a mutant with unusual powers, and under national law, had drafted him into national service in their energy program. According to reports, the mutant has the unique ability to transmute metals from one type to another; an actual ability to turn lead into gold. However, the Iranian Defense Ministry had another metal in mind. Lead into enriched uranium."
Not so unique the professor thought as an image of Tommy flashed to his mind. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone again as Xavier focused on the problem at hand. "Ah," said the professor, steepling his fingers. "That is rather concerning, to put it mildly. Am I right to assume you are here to request our assistance in containing the mutant?" Charles had chosen his words carefully. He would not send his team to neutralize a threat unless he was absolutely certain there was no other path to pursue.
"Not exactly." Langstrom said. "Israel is planning to make a strike on the facility where the young man is being housed. It's a partially constructed power plant in the western region of the country. Much like their Opera mission into Iraq in 1982, the IDF is tasked to destroy the work completed on the plant, and to eliminate any stocks of enriched uranium and their means of making it. That includes the mutant."
Langstrom paused to draw another document from his bag, calmly reading through the state sanctioned murder. After decades at the CIA, nothing a government chose to do phased the man. "However, there are members of the Israeli government and defense force that feel a certain debt to you, Professor, and are less... willing to use the same kind of techniques as their predecessors. Therefore, they have asked the American executive to contact you and make a singular offer. If you wish, the IDF will allow a team of X-Men to accompany their strikeforce, and allow you to remove the mutant without harm. There are additional conditions as to where the mutant is allowed to be sent once removed, but he will not be harmed. This offer does add a considerable amount of danger to the mission, and we're aware that it is somewhat grudgingly made. However, all the same, if you agree, you will have the opportunity to save the mutant's life. If not, the IDF will neutralize him along with the plant. He's far too dangerous for Israel to be known to have under their control."
Glancing at the professor, Ororo frowned slightly. While of course they didn't want to condemn this likely innocent mutant to be 'neutralized', it was also a dangerous undertaking for the X-Men to attempt. "It seems that if it does become known, we would be left in an extremely difficult position. Is there anything to ensure the mutant's safety then?"
"Nothing. Professor, Miss Munroe, this deal is a poison pill in many ways. This mutant could potentially destabilize the Middle East, and Israel's pre-emptive decision isn't all that surprising. This offer is." Langstrom passed over the files. "If you can bring the mutant out, the Israelis and the United States will help to re-settle him in a location where he's monitored and can't be exploited. Well, we hope. But if something goes wrong, the US government will disavow we had any involvement in their Israeli mission, and will state in the most forceful terms that any actions made by American citizens are of their own volition. In short, we'll hang you out to dry. We'd have to."
He slipped his bag back behind his chair. "Speaking from my own experience at the CIA, I'd strongly argue against getting involved in this mission if it was suggested as a covert operation to us. But, you have different capabilities and motivations. We just want to be clear that we're acting as nothing more than a messenger in this case. Accepting or declining this offer will not effect your relationship with the government, or Israel, I'd assume, in any way."
The decisions that Charles Xavier was faced with on a daily basis were never easy ones, but some were more challenging than others. The professor took a moment to study the file Langstrom had handed over before saying anything. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to give you an immediate answer, though I know you will need one quickly." He wanted the chance to consult with Ororo privately and a long distance call to Scott in Budapest was also in order. This was no simple mission to send the team on - it would require both of his team leaders giving their support for him to send the team. Despite having little doubt that both Cyclops and Storm would chose to help the mutant, it was not a decision to be made on the spur of the moment or independently.
"If you wish to send in a team, they will need to be in Israel in the next 12 hours. Sabra, whom I believe you have worked with before, is your IDF liaison. You can make any arrangements with her." Langstrom stood up. "Whatever your decision, please do not notify the government. It would be better for us to not know. Professor, Miss Munroe, thank you both for your time."
The CIA man walked out of the office with a sense of relief. No matter what the X-Men did, the government of the United States was safe from any fallout. That was his only priority. Personally, he wondered if they'd risk the kind of situation that Israel was proposing, potentially catapulting the X-Men onto the world's political stage if they made a mistake. Was a single mutant worth the risk?
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