xp_logs | Korvus and Lilandra: Returning to Depart (Reply)

After being rescued by the Starjammers, Korvus returns to India to tell Lilandra he doesn't want to stay.

Having scheduled an audience, as one would with a world leader (even if they are family), Korvus found himself waiting inside The Rashtrapati Bhawan's reception area. He shifted uncomfortably in front of the secretary, curious how one would get that job to begin with. The room was very quiet and he found it agitating, which he was sure other people noticed. The young man tried to focus his mind on looking casual and not ruffling the papers in his lap as he glanced between doors and every person who moved through the space.

Twenty more minutes passed before the door to the right and behind the secretary's desk swung open. Several men and women in crisp business suits filed out - several of them made note of Korvus' presence and nodded as they left the waiting room. The last to appear was the Prime Minister herself and Lilandra Neramani gave Korvus a warm smile as she turned towards her receptionist. "Nabhi, would you mind gently turning away any visitors for the next hour or so? Unless they happen to have an emergency on their hands or are in my Guard. I leave it to your discretion to sort out the actual emergencies."

The older woman nodded. "Of course, Prime Minister. Shall I bring in a new pot of tea for you and your guest?"

"Thank you, that would be lovely." She turned back to Korvus and nodded her head towards the doors. "You may want to enter quickly before the hoards start to arrive and beg more of my time."

Korvus hopped to his feet, tucking his papers under his arm, and moved into Lilandra's office while giving her a slightly uncomfortable smile. "Thank you for making time. This is something that is important to me. I believe it will be important to you, as well."

Lilandra tilted her head slightly and studied him for a few moments as Nabhi entered behind them with a tray for tea. She smiled again and headed over to the small seating area she kept for meetings that did not have to be around the larger conference table. "Well, I have to say I'm now rather intrigued - thank you, Nabhi, that will be all." She reached for the pot and started to pour as her assistant closed the door. "Please, enlighten me."

"I wasn't in England at University." Korvus waited for Lilandra before sitting. He set his papers on the table away from the tea. "I was forced to live in Madripoor. I do not believe I'm the only person who was secretly enslaved there and I don't believe anything was left in the government for you to know about this. It is my understanding the pass of power wasn't amiable."

Lilandra paused and slowly put the cup back down on the table. "Amiable is about as far of a descriptor for that time as you could pull up," she responded. Her original time in power had been an emergency but it had been backed up with a legal vote. "Korvus, I can promise you that this is the first that I heard of this - you are correct, if there were records of this, they were expunged before the crisis that led to the turnover." She looked at him in concern. "I think you need to start at the beginning."

"I was in Darfur when my father was executed for treason, I am sorry to say. It is my understanding the rest of the Rook'shir family was secretly given the same sentence. I only discovered upon my return this was due to my father's knowledge of government ties to the Sri Lanka Massacre and his disapproval. All things everyone now knows, I have been told." Korvus took a break for just a moment to take a sip of tea. The recounting made his mouth dry. "I tried to tell people when I returned but I was unsuccessful, captured by The Imperial Guard, and sent to Madripoor. I am sorry that I failed to help more."

"I think you, of all people, have the least to apologize for," Lilandra said, glancing at her own tea but she didn't reach for it. There was time enough for that later. "I still grieve for your father, little cousin, one of the many unnecessary victims of my brothers rule." 'Little cousin' - a name she'd given to Korvus when they were younger and trying to trace back their relationship to one another. She continued, lacing her hands together over her lap, "Madripoor is a dangerous place when one intends to go there, more so in your case. What did they do to you?"

Because there was little question in her mind that Korvus had been simply kept there, like some hidden pet, and Lilandra forced herself past thinking of the acts D. Ken had done "for the good" of India. She wearily wondered if she would be paying reparation until the day that she, herself, faced her own death.

"I discovered my mutation as they tried to apprehend me. Although it made the kidnapping more violent I became a less attractive target of abuse." Korvus offered, trying to put a positive light on a very negative experience. He felt being positive or negative was his choice. "I lived in small machine shops as a mechanic for over a year. It was too dangerous for other people and I saved costs on specialized equipment. It was very..." He thought for the word in English, "restrictive but there was little violence."

"A grace that I am thankful for, that you can be assured of." She looked pained for a moment before she managed to smooth it away. "I feel that in the face of what my brother put you through that my apologies are the most useless things but, Korvus, I am so sorry that you and your family suffered so."

"You are in no way culpable." Korvus offered, placing both his hands on the table in an open gesture. "I know in politics it is necessary but I do not believe you should feel compelled to apologize for something over which you had no control."

Lilandra offered him a smile at that. "The sentiment is appreciated, little cousin. And while we speak of politics, please know that I certainly believe what you're saying and that most outside this room will as well. But ..." Her glance flickered towards the papers he had brought with him. "What do you see our next steps being? Do you wish to bring this to others or keep me alone in your confidence?"

Korvus shrugged helplessly. "I just want to make it known to someone. Perhaps there were others like me. Politically, publicly... I am indifferent. I do not know if it is better to be broadcast or not and I have no interest in developing an opinion further. You would do nothing like this, I know. If the people this did happen to are taken care of, nothing more matters to me. The evidence I gathered and my father before me had which inspired our sentence of treason is yours to do with as you feel is appropriate."

Standing, Lilandra slowly walked the length of her office as she turned the situation over. Walking helped her think, especially considering there were days where she spent most, if not all, sequestered in her office or meeting rooms. She stopped near Korvus, tilting her head slightly at him in consideration. "I believe a quiet investigation is needed," Lilandra said. "At first. Once preliminary findings are in, we shall go from there." And cautiously. Triggering an international incident with Madripoor would do more harm than good if any of her people were still enslaved. There were also ways and resources around any international issues, too, but calling on those favors would need careful consideration. "The evidence you provide will be key to this."

"I hope so." Korvus smiled as he was approached, keeping his seat when she paced, seemingly eager to be helpful.

Lilandra would need to speak with some of the Imperial Guard when she had a moment. Though she held no one accountable for their actions, she fully expected every detail from Korvus' kidnapping when she approached them. But first, there was Korvus to consider. "I know you said I owe you no apologies but we are family, little cousin; there must be something I can do for you."

"Without immediate family here, I'd like to go to a place populated by mutants. I read about the X-Men and their help here. I am interested in meeting them, if you know them well." Korvus knew his family no longer had any resources in India and, thought Lilandra would likely take care of him, he didn't want to become dependent.

That captured her interest. "Of all the boons I expected, that one was certainly not on the list." Retaking her seat, she continued, "Their help was invaluable last year and Charles Xavier is a good man. A great one, even, and rarer still, an honest one. You could certainly do worse than seek him out."

"It is my understanding he teaches mutants. I am now a mutant. I have also heard they train so they may assist people. Also, I was unsuccessful at distributing this information in a beneficial way before I was transported to Madripoor." Korvus tapped the papers lightly before he continued. He felt it was important to explain to Lilandra why he wanted this and that he didn't mean to offend. "I would like to rectify this deficiency and, I expect, learn much more. I do not believe I would be comfortable doing so as a member of The Imperial Guard and there are no longer Rook'shir holdings at my disposal to do so without the help of an organization. Neither do I want the burden of wealth."

Of course he wouldn't be comfortable in her Imperial Guard, not after they were part of the reason he ended up in Madripoor. She would be hard pressed to join them if she were in his position. "If you are serious about seeking out Charles, I could certainly bring it to his attention. Even if you ultimately decide not to stay with him, I think a conversation would certainly be beneficial."

Korvus gave a very genuine smile. "I would appreciate that very much."