xp_logs | Moira's Pick-Up

x-mactaggart.livejournal.com posting in

Essex stood at the arrivals gate, rather uncomfortably avoiding the groups of people. At least he was spared from having to hold one of those ridiculous signs. At the very least, he'd hear her before he saw her.

Moira grumbled loudly, elbowing past people who had decided that the best place to stand was right in her path. She realized that the delay in the flight had made every grumpy but after the hell the last few weeks had been for her, she wanted nothing to do with these people. "Oh, bloody hell, move already!" she snapped, ducking under a squealing couple.

Essex smiled thinly. "Ah, Moira." He said, stepping forward to collect her bag. "You're looking haggard."

A snort was the reply. "Oh, aye, and ye would be too after th' weeks o' hell I've been goin' through." She actually really looks like hell. She had never been overweight to begin with but she had developed some desk pudge from her habits. But it's all gone, in fact she's thinner than she was when Essex had seen her last. She has incredibly dark bags under her eyes, which look a little unfocused. "Sorry 'bout the delay, Essex, Heathrow went into a near lockdown wit' th' storms."

"I can imagine. Come on, Moira. I've got reservations and I think you could use a meal and a drink." Essex turned and lead her from the terminal, cutting easily through the crowds. "How goes the shut down?"

"God, food," she groaned. "And...it goes. Not well, but not horrifically, either." She gives a grim smile. "I gave Rory plenty o'instructions on how ta use me Da's old guns in case those damnable agents came 'round again. Though we really -could- use all th' help we can get."

"I've spoken with the other teachers, but Muir Island seems to be of little priority of them." Essex tossed the bags in the truck of his BMW. "Teaching is somewhat secondary at Xaviers."

Climbing in on the passengers side, Moira raises an eyebrow. "Is it tha' bad? I remember ye mentioning somethin' when ye were visitin' but wit' all the chaos, we didn't really get into it." She furrows her brow.

"I believe it's worse." Essex pulled out on to the highway. "Charles has lost control of his school."

"Oh wonderful..." Crossing her arms, she leans back into seat, trying to unwind. "What -exactly- is goin' on? I sent Rahne over here in good faith ta Charles instead o' havin' her come ta Muir."

"Personally, I believe they are more interested in creating X-Men then teaching these children to control their powers."

"What? So...are they teachin' them ta use their powers but only ta become X-Men...or are they teachin' them ta use if their powers only if they -want- ta become X-Men?"

"I'd rather suspect the latter." Essex said grimly. "There is more involved."

Turning slightly in her seat to face Essex better, Moira frowned. "I can tell I really dinnae want ta know...but I haveta. What's happened?"

"One of Xavier's students decided to turn towards Lensherr's madness. After a number of terrorist actions, Magneto was planning to make the boy a martyr. They rescued him, but are planning not to let the boy pay the consequences." Essex said. "I believe they are planning to manipulate things so the can avoid prison."

Moira's eyes simply bugged. "They're -what-?!" She took a deep breath. "How old is this boy? Old enough ta make th' wrong decision it seems..."

"Seventeen or so, I believe." Essex pulled off the highway into a parking lot. "We have a very different method of teaching going on here."

"So I can see. Are th' students happy, at least?"

"Who knows? I'm sure that not having real classes and a run of a mansion would make them happy." Essex got out, and held open Moira's door.

Sliding out, Moira stares up at Essex. "Yer kiddin', right? No, no, dinnae answer tha', I know ye aren't...bloody hell! Wha' is Charles -thinkin'-?"

"In his defence, I don't imagine Charles has the slightest idea what is going on in that school." Essex walked up the steps to the resturaunt. "It is complex."

Keeping up with Essex, she snorts. "How complex can it be? Ye take a student in, ye know wha's goin' on and ye teach 'em what they need ta know, powers included."

"Not here, I'd say." Essex nodded to the waiter, finding their table. "Moira, there is no formalized program for each student. There is no individual assistance for their powers. That Starsmore boy wiped out the Music Room recently, and they still have yet to pay more than brief attention to him."

Easing herself into a chair, Moira cradled her head in her hands. "Tha's...I recommended this ta Rahne's caretaker? I sent her here? God Lord." She looked up. "An' if Mr. Starsmore is gettin' only a wee bit o' attention I can only imagine wha' th' other, nonlethal students are receivin'. Rahne may not be able ta take out a wall...yet, we dinnae know th' extent of th' lasses strength after all...but she deserves ta have help wit' her powers. As does all th' other students."

"I realise that." Essex motioned to the waiter, who nodded and went off to the bar. "There are other... disturbing rumours, Moira. Other than a fairly sexually charged and encouraged environment in a small dormatory setting, and I have reason to believe that the student/teacher seperation is being violated."

Moira's head jerked up. "Excuse me? I can understand th' students...ye put tha' many teenagers in one area an' ye'd be stupid not ta expect somethin' but...student/teacher? Tha's goin' beyond...God, Nathan, tha's beyond every oath ye make as a teacher!"

"None of their teachers made oaths, Moira." Essex accepted the glass of gin from the waiter, as he put a scotch in front of her. "We have a paramilitary force running the fiction of teaching students, Moira. The only one truly qualified was killed in their last mission."

Moira picks up the scotch but it's an akward gesture. She looks at it, hestitating. "Aye...I briefly remember tha' young Ms. Grey had some background teachin', or am I rememberin' wrong, but I know what happened ta th' poor lass. No one else is qualified ta teach?"

"Ms Braddock has some experience, it seems. As for Ms Munroe, I've not seen a hint of her in weeks. We have a collection of 'grad' students of some form, but the classes are weak. Music, avian biology, psychic defense... no higher maths, sciences. I'm independentally tutoring some of the brighter ones."

She smiles. "I should 'ave guessed. Have any o' th' students...complained?" Moira's still holding the scotch in her hand, not drinking it but still hesitating over it. She finally makes a decision and puts it down and smiles a painful smile. "Sorry, Essex, I'll 'ave ta pass on th' drink...but I'll take ye up on the food."

"The mains should be here any moment." Essex took a deep swallow. "I can see some dissention, but honestly, most are still younger enough to appreciate a schedule of bird courses."

"Enjoyin' the life o' not many classes, I can understand tha'. But he's runnin' it all wrong. Blast tha' man. Next ye'll be tellin' me they're forcin' students ta do things ta get them ready ta jus' be X-Men." She took a sip of water.

"A student killed one of the Brotherhood on their last mission. That Frost woman brought two of them into the city this weekend on another mission." Essex said mildly.

Moira choked on the water. "Wha'...*cough* They're takin' them on missions?! They're takin' -children- on -missions-?!"

"Yes. Mostly the older ones, as I've seen. I believe Mister Summers is the one to make such calls."

Leaning back, she took a deep breath. "I sent Rahne here ta be -taught- in how ta use her powers and not be scared o'them. I didn't send the lass here ta become a soldier. I'm assumin' tha' not -all- students want ta be X-Men...Charles couldna be tha' lucky."

"I think it may have failed." Essex said. "We may have failed, Moira. I'm of the belief that leaving my research may have been a mistake."

Startled, she looks at him hard. "Why? Are things at Xavier's -tha'- bad, Nathan?"

"If I wanted to help train paramilitary troops, I could have stayed with USAMRD and done so legally. They have no idea of ethics." Essex snorted. "In fact, they view me with suspecion. It's a cult, Moira. I hate to say it, but welcome to Charles Xavier's X-town."

She gave him a calculating look and sat back. "Ye mentioned tutorin' some o' the smarter students...are they so far inta this 'cult' of Xavier's as th' others?"

"Here and there." Essex sighed. "Their teachers are very presuasive, and the idea of a 'hero' above the law is attractive to them."

"No one is above th' law," she mutters. "Well, I need ta talk ta Rahne...I want ta find out how she's farin' in this school...I could also try ta see which students aren't so far inta Xavier's ideals as well." She smiles. "We can always take those ta Muir for th' clean up, some time away from these...X-Men may serve them well."

"I fear you will fight an uphill battle, Moira."

"Essex, I'm one o' th' top o' my field...in a country tha's sometimes a wee bit backwards. I've gone through a divorce...I know what an uphill battle feels like." Moira's smile suddenly changed to vicious. "Besides, after weeks o' not bein' able ta fight against th' government's lackeys, I'm up for one I can win."

"Indeed." Essex said. "I will be there if you need me, Moira. I do firmly wish you the best."

"Thank ye, Nathan, I may very well need it." She shrugs. "If nothin' else, what this may end wit' is simply a fieldtrip ta a country none o' the children thought they'd see. If it's more than tha'...we all will be better off for it. Besides, Charles sounds like he needs a talkin' ta...a very long one."

"Good. I won't be able to join you, as I need to continue the research here, but I do believe it would be in their best interests."

"Aye, it would. An' Rory an' I could use all th' help tha' we need wit' the clean-up. Besides, I look foward ta meetin' this...Mr. Summers o'yers."

"I have no doubt."

Moira shifts slightly in her seat. "I..." She blinks. "Ye know, I just realized I haven't eaten in three days...how strange..."

"Please, do eat, Moira. You are not in any condition to challange the school if you're half faint."

She grins. "True, very true...aye, eatin' is a good idea."