http://x_avier.livejournal.com/ (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
x-avier.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
xp_logs2003-10-21 08:06 pm
x-avier.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2003-10-21 08:06 pm
Entry tags:
Essex and Xavier talk.
Takes place . . . late September, I think. After Essex gets back from Seattle.
All credit goes to Dex, who wrote it.
"Nathan." Charles Xavier said, looking up from his desk. For once, Charles was deeply uncomfortable. The impenetrability of Doctor Essex notwithstanding, his own moral compass was troubled. The last thing he wished to say was that the mutants who came for help or to work with him did not have the right to make their own decisions. At the same time, he couldn't help but question Essex' actions. Betsy's privacy was one thing, but to not even mention a thing to him was something else.
"Charles." Essex took a seat across from the desk. Despite the lines of fatigue that webbed his features, Nathaniel retained the same calm assurance as always. For neither the first or last time, Charles wished that he could look into Essex’ mind, and see what his colleague was thinking.
"Obviously there are some serious concerns about your operation, Nathan. Between the staff and the students, everyone is very worried about Betsy.” Charles glanced at him significantly over her steepled fingers. “Worried more so about you."
"Really? I suppose infamy is almost as good as fame."
"This isn't the time for jokes, Nathan. Some of my staff thinks that, at the very least, it was your incompetence that put Betsy in her coma. Others harbor suspicions that you may have done it intentionally."
"Charles, you know how ridiculous that is. What possible motive would I have for harming Ms Braddock? I have been many things in my time, but a random killer would be a jump, even for me." Essex snorted derisively. "Ms Braddock went into that operation with one chance in three, and was well aware of it. I'm rather shocked, Charles, that you of all people would lend credence to this nonsense."
"Nathan, you have created a great deal of this antagonism yourself. I know you've always been outspoken, but between that and the lack of contact with the staff, you've made it very easy to let them cast you as some sort of mad scientist; the sinister doctor in the dungeon." Charles said. "Add to the secrecy of the entire operation and it's not unfair for people to be suspicious."
“I know you pick up all of the dark whispers in the corner of peoples minds. You should understand by now what fears are rational and what fears are spurious.”
"Nathan, you performed a delicate operation with a fifteen year old girl as your only medical support." Charles said.
"And the rest of your staff would send the same minors into battle." Essex shot back. "This was not cardiac surgery, Charles. I didn't need a bevy of nurses to sponge-mop the blood from the body cavity. I needed an expert in computer systems would could model and maintain the system."
"But why here? Surely a hospital would have been a better environment. What if something had gone wrong?”
"I suggested both Johns Hopkins and Ft. Dix to Ms Braddock. She would hear none of it. She was afraid to leave the mansion for her surgery. And no, I don't know the reasons for that." Essex rubbed his upper lip. "Charles, your medical bay down there is equal to any operating theatre I've ever worked in. You know that she was in as minimal danger as possible. You also know that if I had required a full medical team in assistance, I would have made provisions for that. So, what are you really questioning me about?"
"Nathan, many in the staff think you did this intentionally. They don’t want to say it out-loud, but you don’t need to be a telepath to pick up on that. The way you’ve antagonized each of them just makes that explanation all the more convenient." Charles said, noting an uncommon flare of anger in Essex' eyes. "I cannot even reach into Betsy's mind. It's as if I am running into a steel wall over and over. She asked for all this secrecy and the only person who they can get to verify it is the person who they do not trust."
"Indeed." Essex waved his hand in front of his face. "It makes no difference, Charles. Let them have their opinions. I know what I did was right."
"I have concerns as well." Charles added softly, and Essex locked eyes with him.
"Really?" Essex said equally softly, his mild voice still and cold. Xavier held his glare, and tried to put the mental black hole that was Essex at the back of his mind to deal with the man.
"Nathan, research aside, you've been... disruptive here. The X-Men were formed with a purpose, and you seem to want to categorize them as some sort of terrorists. These children are here to learn, and you seem to want them to believe they are being indoctrinated into a cult." Xavier held up a hand to forestall Essex' rebuke. "You have the right to your opinion, Nathan, and there is no doubt that you are a valuable asset to our goals, but I cannot see the school torn apart over one person, Nathan. The stakes are too high."
"This is absurd." Essex said, raising to his feet. "Have you completely lost your mind, Charles? You're advocating sending children into battles, harboring murderers without remorse in this home, tossing aside laws if they inconvenience you, and you dare to call me the threat?"
"The X-Men are a vital force in helping mutants--"
"Your X-Men are the justification for all the fears humans have! They blow in, announce their presence with toppling buildings and consider themselves above the law." Essex finally raised his voice, an event which Charles had never experienced. "You sit ensconced in your world-engine, so wrapped up in the thoughts of seven billion people that you can't even focus on those of your paramilitary cronies for five seconds? Have you gone utterly mad?"
"Nathan, you are not the person who should be trying to lecture me."
"Really, Charles? My crimes are using an unusually brilliant young woman assist me in an operation on another young woman who was repeatedly warned of the dangers. You are engaging in active war with the humans, sending children to die, and deluding yourself that because you are a mutant, you have some special insight and right." Essex pointed a finger at Xavier, who realized for the first time that if Essex wanted to hurt him, he wouldn't have the slightest chance of stopping him. "You're following Erik's path, Charles. At the very least, he's willing to be an honest villain."
"That's enough, Nathan!" Charles barked. "I will not have this school threatened by you. I respect your abilities and your knowledge, but you have gone beyond the pale!"
"Rubbish!"
"Nathan," Xavier took a deep breath. "We will be having a staff meeting with all of the personnel in this school. There we will decide on how to handle this incident and you. If you try to have Betsy moved before that meeting, you will be stopped. Is that understood?"
"Charles, if you keep her here, she will never wake up."
"I don't know if I believe that," Charles said. "Or you. Goodbye Nathan."
Essex stood for a moment, glaring at the Professor before he turned and stalked out of the room.
All credit goes to Dex, who wrote it.
"Nathan." Charles Xavier said, looking up from his desk. For once, Charles was deeply uncomfortable. The impenetrability of Doctor Essex notwithstanding, his own moral compass was troubled. The last thing he wished to say was that the mutants who came for help or to work with him did not have the right to make their own decisions. At the same time, he couldn't help but question Essex' actions. Betsy's privacy was one thing, but to not even mention a thing to him was something else.
"Charles." Essex took a seat across from the desk. Despite the lines of fatigue that webbed his features, Nathaniel retained the same calm assurance as always. For neither the first or last time, Charles wished that he could look into Essex’ mind, and see what his colleague was thinking.
"Obviously there are some serious concerns about your operation, Nathan. Between the staff and the students, everyone is very worried about Betsy.” Charles glanced at him significantly over her steepled fingers. “Worried more so about you."
"Really? I suppose infamy is almost as good as fame."
"This isn't the time for jokes, Nathan. Some of my staff thinks that, at the very least, it was your incompetence that put Betsy in her coma. Others harbor suspicions that you may have done it intentionally."
"Charles, you know how ridiculous that is. What possible motive would I have for harming Ms Braddock? I have been many things in my time, but a random killer would be a jump, even for me." Essex snorted derisively. "Ms Braddock went into that operation with one chance in three, and was well aware of it. I'm rather shocked, Charles, that you of all people would lend credence to this nonsense."
"Nathan, you have created a great deal of this antagonism yourself. I know you've always been outspoken, but between that and the lack of contact with the staff, you've made it very easy to let them cast you as some sort of mad scientist; the sinister doctor in the dungeon." Charles said. "Add to the secrecy of the entire operation and it's not unfair for people to be suspicious."
“I know you pick up all of the dark whispers in the corner of peoples minds. You should understand by now what fears are rational and what fears are spurious.”
"Nathan, you performed a delicate operation with a fifteen year old girl as your only medical support." Charles said.
"And the rest of your staff would send the same minors into battle." Essex shot back. "This was not cardiac surgery, Charles. I didn't need a bevy of nurses to sponge-mop the blood from the body cavity. I needed an expert in computer systems would could model and maintain the system."
"But why here? Surely a hospital would have been a better environment. What if something had gone wrong?”
"I suggested both Johns Hopkins and Ft. Dix to Ms Braddock. She would hear none of it. She was afraid to leave the mansion for her surgery. And no, I don't know the reasons for that." Essex rubbed his upper lip. "Charles, your medical bay down there is equal to any operating theatre I've ever worked in. You know that she was in as minimal danger as possible. You also know that if I had required a full medical team in assistance, I would have made provisions for that. So, what are you really questioning me about?"
"Nathan, many in the staff think you did this intentionally. They don’t want to say it out-loud, but you don’t need to be a telepath to pick up on that. The way you’ve antagonized each of them just makes that explanation all the more convenient." Charles said, noting an uncommon flare of anger in Essex' eyes. "I cannot even reach into Betsy's mind. It's as if I am running into a steel wall over and over. She asked for all this secrecy and the only person who they can get to verify it is the person who they do not trust."
"Indeed." Essex waved his hand in front of his face. "It makes no difference, Charles. Let them have their opinions. I know what I did was right."
"I have concerns as well." Charles added softly, and Essex locked eyes with him.
"Really?" Essex said equally softly, his mild voice still and cold. Xavier held his glare, and tried to put the mental black hole that was Essex at the back of his mind to deal with the man.
"Nathan, research aside, you've been... disruptive here. The X-Men were formed with a purpose, and you seem to want to categorize them as some sort of terrorists. These children are here to learn, and you seem to want them to believe they are being indoctrinated into a cult." Xavier held up a hand to forestall Essex' rebuke. "You have the right to your opinion, Nathan, and there is no doubt that you are a valuable asset to our goals, but I cannot see the school torn apart over one person, Nathan. The stakes are too high."
"This is absurd." Essex said, raising to his feet. "Have you completely lost your mind, Charles? You're advocating sending children into battles, harboring murderers without remorse in this home, tossing aside laws if they inconvenience you, and you dare to call me the threat?"
"The X-Men are a vital force in helping mutants--"
"Your X-Men are the justification for all the fears humans have! They blow in, announce their presence with toppling buildings and consider themselves above the law." Essex finally raised his voice, an event which Charles had never experienced. "You sit ensconced in your world-engine, so wrapped up in the thoughts of seven billion people that you can't even focus on those of your paramilitary cronies for five seconds? Have you gone utterly mad?"
"Nathan, you are not the person who should be trying to lecture me."
"Really, Charles? My crimes are using an unusually brilliant young woman assist me in an operation on another young woman who was repeatedly warned of the dangers. You are engaging in active war with the humans, sending children to die, and deluding yourself that because you are a mutant, you have some special insight and right." Essex pointed a finger at Xavier, who realized for the first time that if Essex wanted to hurt him, he wouldn't have the slightest chance of stopping him. "You're following Erik's path, Charles. At the very least, he's willing to be an honest villain."
"That's enough, Nathan!" Charles barked. "I will not have this school threatened by you. I respect your abilities and your knowledge, but you have gone beyond the pale!"
"Rubbish!"
"Nathan," Xavier took a deep breath. "We will be having a staff meeting with all of the personnel in this school. There we will decide on how to handle this incident and you. If you try to have Betsy moved before that meeting, you will be stopped. Is that understood?"
"Charles, if you keep her here, she will never wake up."
"I don't know if I believe that," Charles said. "Or you. Goodbye Nathan."
Essex stood for a moment, glaring at the Professor before he turned and stalked out of the room.
no subject
*grins*