xp_logs | The Games Continues...

Kitty and Essex in one of thier tutorials.

"Ms Pryde." Essex leaned back from the monitor, sipping his coffee as Kitty entered the lab.

His station was surrounded by racks of printouts and handwritten notes in a perfect
copperplate hand. Kitty walked over to her own station, surprised to find a three dried
white carnations sitting on a piece of black tissue paper.

"Afternoon, Dr. Essex. What are these for?" She gestures to the flowers.

"Flowers." Essex said, over his coffee cup. "For Algernon."

"Oh..." It comes out as a whisper. "Thank you." She had been smiling, but it slowly dies.
"I'm really sorry Dr. Essex..."

"Nonsense." Essex keyed a button on his read-outs and they stopped scrolling. "What happened

was an accident, Ms Pryde. You make them. I make them. I dare say even Charles makes them."

"I know... I just wish I didn't."

"Here is the important thing, Ms Pryde. What did you learn from it?"

"That I can only... only keep something phased as long as I'm holding onto it. No matter how much I might want it to be otherwise." She sniffles and looks down.

"And that means that one day; you may save someone's life with that knowledge. Perhaps even
your own. Have you considered that?" Essex said, stroking his goatee.

"I guess... at any rate, if I can keep hold of them I can save them."

"That is an important thing, Ms Pryde. I'm sure that Algernon, with as much nobility as a
white mouse can attain, would not hold that amiss." Essex stood up and began to arrange a
stack of files.

"Yeah, I guess not. It's what Jamie keeps saying too, so I should probably stop moping and
start listening." She manages a half smile and carefully wraps the flowers up in the tissue
paper

"Indeed. Young Mister Madrox is right. Besides, we have much greater horizons to look to."
Essex walked over and placed a thick stack of files down on her desk.

"Oh? What are we working on today?" She carefully flips through the top couple files,
glancing at headers.

"Several things. First off, multi-state phasing. I want to see if you can phase beyond your
own mass, and if you can phase selectively within a structure. Secondly, diagnostic

equipment reading."

Kitty looks up, confused. "Phase beyond my own mass? That'd be phasing things other than me,

and we know I can do that." A quick glance at one of the files on phasing selectively and
doesn't comment, biting at her lip. Instead she flips to the bottom of the pile. "Diagnostics of what?"

"Beyond your own mass in terms of actual size and weight. Can you, indeed, phase something
larger and heavier than yourself?" Essex said. "The rest concerns the diagnostic equipment that we use down here in the lab. Now, Ms Pryde. You will note on Dr McCoy's desk, a gumball machine. You know where it is, since you pilfer from it on a regular basis. I'd like you to bring me back a gumball." Essex paused. "Without opening the top, turning the dial, or spilling any other colours."

Kitty's eyebrows shoot up. "I can't! I'd lose a hand or something..."

"If you unphase with your hand inside the glass, I dare say you would." Essex put his finger to his lips. "I assume that you'll have to remain phased to do it."

"Oh..." The girls alarm lessened, but her confusion increased. "I don't understand how I'd
do that then. I can't affect things that are solid when I'm unphased." Her eyebrows knitted
as she glanced over towards McCoy's desk.

"You haven't been able to affect things that are solid when you're are phased. Precise
language is so important in this world, Ms Pryde." Essex said.

"Well, yes, I haven't been able to, fine. But none of my experiments or practices have in
any way implied that that state is likely to change. Unless you know something I don't, that is..." She wasn't quite pouting, but only because her curiosity at least equaled her
frustration with Essex's indirection.

"Ms Pryde, have you never wondered why you can phase your clothing with you, but not, say,
accidentally phase the floor too, sending tables crashing into the basement? Or the bed?
Your blankets, oddly except when you have them wrapped around you?"

"Um... well, we've hypothesized that it's sort of a metaphysical assumption, that I sort of
consider the clothes a part of myself so they go with me, and that taking Algernon or Benji
with me is sort of an extension of that. When I first phased I _didn't_ manage to take my
clothes with me, actually..."

"Indeed. So, what that means, Ms Pryde, is that the limits of your phasing abilities are defined by your perception of what should and shouldn't be a part of you. Therefore, there is nothing to say that your abilities need be confined to just phasing herself in a limited sense." Essex tapped his moustache. "As long as you can concentrate and believe you have the ability to."

"So, you want me to try and phase something without touching it?" Kitty just sounded
confused. The entire idea seemed impossible to her.

"No. When you are phased, you still inhabit the same space in relation to another object. You should, by all reason, be able to bring it into your ethereal field."

"Well, I don't really see how it would work, but I can try if you really want." Kitty
shrugged, still thinking about it.

"Ms Pryde, consider it in a different light. At this point, you phase and only what you have

a physical connection with at that moment phases with you, correct?"

"Yep"

"but the second you remove that item, it reverts back to a normal state. Correct?"

"Yep."

"That change is instantaneous; from one state to another, because it no longer is part of
you. Now, that being said, is there a case for the reverse? While you are incorporeal, you

do not cease to exist. In fact, you retain your own form in such a state, meaning that the existent form of Ms Katherine Pryde is still coherent, if incorporeal."

"I'm not sure what you mean. The change is instantaneous whether it's me or something I'm
holding onto. And of course I don't stop existing. That would... well, it wouldn't work."

"Ms Pryde, while in your phased form, by inhabiting the same space as say, a book on the table, you should be about to transition it into a phased state with you, and interact with
it."

"Well, no." The vaguely alarmed look was back. "If I'm actually in the same space as it and
it transferred it'd be like if I phased into it. It would become 'unsolid' around my hand.
Assuming it were even possible."

"The same space as in position wise, not actually within the object itself." Essex said, making himself clear. "While it's too early to comment on whether your abilities can work at a distance, by 'touching' the object, for lack of a better term, you should b able to induce your phased state."

"Well, I guess that kind of makes sense..." Kitty said, looking thoughtful. "I think
starting with just a single gumball might be hard though. Hard to figure out which one was
which."

"See what you can do, Ms Pryde One thing you will discover as you get older is that much of
what we accept that cannot be done is solely because we accept it cannot be done."

"Alright, sure..." She dubiously heads over towards the desk, phasing out. Once there she
looks into it, spotting a blue gumball on top. She lets her hand slide through the glass,
coming to settle around the ball. She stares at it, then moves her hand a few inches,
attempting to get it so that it is the only one she's 'touching'. This of course means she
does not have her hand under the ball and she soon decides that that's not going to work,
even if it were possible. She fidgets about some more, trying to figure out how this would
work.

"Consider it a part of you, no different than your shirt, or an earring; no more
extraordinary than your socks." Essex said. "I'm assuming you're wearing socks, that is."

"Yeah, I am," she says distractedly. Then she pauses, thinking about what he said. Looking
down, she considers her socks, trying to figure out what's holding them phased out, trying
to see how they're a part of her. Sadly, she realizes that she doesn't really think they
are. Her eyes widen as she sees her socks slowly collapse out of her pants and fall to the
side as they phase back in.

"Oh shit..." She snatches her hand away from the machine and leaps sideways, leaving her
shoes on the floor but phasing back in before she loses any more concentration. "Um," she
says, turning to stare big eyed at the Doctor. "I don't think that worked."

"The Centipede's Dilemma, Ms Pryde." Essex walked over and picked up the shoes and socks,
placing them on the table before offering Kitty his hand.

She nods, then takes hold of his hand.

"However, you may not realize it, but you made a significant discovery." Essex helped Kitty
to her feet. She stood, trying not to react to the scarred ridges of his hand.

"Oh?" Kitty asked.

"You were able to unphase an object that you had brought into a phased state without having
to divest yourself of it. Which means you can exert individual control, even if not
something that you cannot control at this time." Essex smiled thinly.

Suddenly her scowl was back in full force. "I wasn't really _able_ to, it just happened."
Kitty sighed and glared at the ground. "I need to talk to Ms. Braddock I think..."

"Ms Pryde, I'm afraid you're missing the bigger picture. Ten minutes ago, you didn't believe

it could be done. Now you're frustrated that you don't know how you did it. It represents a
fairly significant step, I would say." Essex said, patting her hand fondly. "Speaking of Ms
Braddock,"

"That's not..." Kitty started, and then shook her head.

"Yes, I imagine you view it as the same loss of control that cursed you when you first entered the school." Essex said. "However, Ms Pryde, i does show that your phasing ability can be selective, even if you cannot control it yet."

"I guess." Kitty said, obviously very dubious to the entire idea.

Essex returned to his desk and gestured at a chair. "Please sit."

"What's up?" She shoved her issues to the back of her mind and moved towards the chair he recommended.

"How well do you know Ms Braddock?"

"Um... well, I don't know. I mean, she's a teacher, and she helped me with a problem I was
having earlier with my phasing. Why?"

"I was curious what you think of her."

"Oh, I like her a lot. She used to be kind of stiff, but I think she just wasn't used to
everything yet."

"Ah yes, we English are not known for our vivaciousness." Kitty almost snorted, but managed
to change it into a cough at the last minute instead.

"Subtle, Ms Pryde." Essex said, sipping from his coffee. "Has she seemed any different to
you recently?"

Kitty blushed, then considered this. "I don't know. I guess she's seemed a little more on
edge than usual. I haven't seen her much just her and not in class. But some of the others
were talking about it too..."

"Are there any theories as to why?"

"Um... not really, no." Kitty was definitely not going to mention Mr. Summers. That was
entirely Ms. Braddock's own business.

"Ms Pryde, I am relatively sure that I can trust you. Is that correct?"

Her eyebrows raised. "I would hope so, sir."

"I am going to ask something of you that is rather serious." Essex straightened.

"Ok." Kitty nodded, focusing on the doctor.

"Ms Braddock is blind, the result of severe injuries while in service." Kitty nodded "After
several incidents within the school, she has decided to seek treatment to try and regain her

sight. However, the damage to Ms Braddock's eyes are severe. The eyeball, the optic nerve
and the point in which the nerve enters the brain have all suffered injury. The damage is so

extensive that every eye specialist on this planet has stated that she will never see again.

Her eyebrows raised. "Oh..." The little exclamation escaped almost as a whisper

"Ms Braddock has decided to seek my assistance on this matter and I have developed a program

that I am confident will restore her sight. There are, of course, two issues. One is that
the program is quite dangerous. Neuro-surgery is not to be undertaken lightly, especially by psionics."

Kitty nodded, still not sure why the doctor was talking to her about this.

"There is a possibility that the surgery will be unsuccessful. There is even a chance that
Ms Braddock will never recover from it. She has decided that she is willing to take that
risk. The second issue is that Ms Braddock does not wish for anyone else to know about it.
Her decision is firm, and she does not wish to entertain objections about it." Essex raised
an eyebrow, looking at Kitty. "No doubt you wonder why I'm telling you then."

"Well, yes..."

"Because Ms Braddock is adamant that no one else knows, and no facility outside of a
military hospital can provide the support of this bay."

"Um... but that still doesn't explain why I should know, if she doesn't want me to."

"I cannot get the assistance of Dr McCoy or Dr Bartlett. As I explained to Ms Braddock, I
can perform the operation alone, but I need someone to monitor Ms Braddock' vitals on a
diagnostic system, in case of an issue during the surgery." Essex gave her a significant
look.

"oh.. OH!" Kitty's eyes widened. "So that's why..." she gestured to the pile of files on the

desk.

"Indeed." Essex nodded. "You would merely be required to monitor a number of panels, not
unlike watching several computer windows at once."

Kitty nodded hesitantly. "I... I think I can do it."

"I have every faith in you, Ms Pryde, as does Ms Braddock." Essex nodded. "It is extremely
important that Ms Braddock' wishes for complete privacy be respected."

"Oh, of course." She nodded emphatically. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"I believe you. Now it will be a long surgery. twelve to fifteen hours. Can you remain alert

that long?"

"Yeah, sure. I've done worse than that for all nighters a few times."

"Good. Now, this is the most important part, Ms Pryde. Ms Braddock has chosen to do this
with full knowledge of the risks involved. She understands that she may not survive the
surgery. I want you to be completely sure that it is Ms Braddocks choice."

She blinked, looking startled. "Why on earth wouldn't it be her choice?"

"People worry, Ms Pryde. And that anxiety can make them think strange things. That Ms
Braddock wasn't making an informed decision, or did not know the risks. It's also important
for you to be firmly aware of it, which is why I would like you to speak with her before the

operation."

"Both for your sake, and hers." Essex said.

"Yeah, ok. I can understand that..."

"Good." Essex put down his cup. "I'm entrusting you with a great deal of responsibility, Ms
Pryde, and I would feel guilty about putting such a burden on a young woman if I didn't have

complete faith in you."

Kitty flushed, smiling. "I'll do my best, sir."

"If you have questions or if you are in any way uncomfortable about any of this, please come

and talk to me about it as soon as possible."

"I will, I promise." She stood up, looking at the pile of reading. "Should I start on those
now, then?"

"Indeed." Essex bent over her desk and flipped open the first file. "Now, this is a full
spectrum psynapic scanner..."