Quantum Shift

Quantum Shift

By GreyWolf

Disclaimers apply:

Chapter 2

As Gabriel piloted the starship Avenger into orbit of Earth he prepared
the systems for the interdimensional travel. Gabriel tapped in the
coordinates and engaged the interdimensional drive. “Interdimensional
threshold in five, four, three, two, one” the computer chimed. There was
a flash of light on the viewscreen and then normal space again.
“Computer activate cloaking device”. “Cloaking device online and stable”
the computer replied.

“Now I just got to find a suitable place to land near Xavier’s school”
As he scanned the area he thought out loud “Damn, there’s not a lot of
parking spaces for a ship the size of the USS Defiant…ah that place will
do just fine. It’s only a couple of miles from Xavier’s school.”

As Storm left the greenhouse she felt an unusual gust of wind. It was
unusual because for a second the air felt charged.

The Avenger flew over the mansion and soon landed in a field a couple
miles away. Gabriel shut down the engines and put the ship in a high
security lockdown mode. “Computer what is the current time?”

“The time is ten A.M.”

Gabriel went to one of the computer stations on the bridge. He easily
got around the security of both the Department of Records and Bayville
High school’s computer systems. Once he read through the information on
Rogue, he knew her age and grade level. He could have just asked this
stuff when he met her, but decided it was better to have this
information before hand. Accessing the appropriate computer networks,
Gabriel set himself up with a new identity, Social Security number, bank
account, and driver’s license. Then he set himself up as a senior at
Bayville High and put himself in the same classes as Rogue.

He went to the replicator and got his wallet. In it, it had his driver’s
license social security card, and bank card. He then went back to the
computer. He checked the current date and when school started. “Shit
piss damn motherfuckng son of a bitch, I’m late for the first day!” He
then morphed himself into the young man that he practiced changing into
before he left his home. He used his implanted transport scanner which
was part of his self-teleportation implant to find the school and find a
secluded place to teleport into. He transported himself into the men’s
restroom which was empty.

Gabriel knew a lot about some of the people in the x-men universe, but
he had to act like he knew nothing when interacting with those people.

Gabriel entered the main office “sorry I’m late, car trouble.”

The receptionist flipped through a few papers on her desk “You must be
Gabriel Cardaro, here is your schedule and student ID.” She got up from
her desk and walked over to where Gabriel was standing and handed him
the items. He thanked her and left.

As he walked he read the schedule and determined it was lunch time. He
didn’t have to eat though because he is a changeling. He went to the
cafeteria anyways “Maybe I can get to know Rogue and her friends” he
thought to himself. Gabriel walked into the lunch room and looked
around. He saw Rogue sitting at a table in the corner. She was yelling
at a tall young man. Interested, Gabriel went over to the table.

“GET LOST DUNCAN OR SO HELP ME I’LL….”

“You’ll what? If you use your powers you get kicked out” Duncan teased

“Why don’t you just leave her alone “ Gabriel said.

Duncan turned his head “Get lost before I make you.”

“Bite me” Gabriel said standing his ground.

Rogue said “Watch out” as Duncan’s fist hit Gabriel, but instead of
hitting him Duncan’s fist hit Gabriel’s personal force shield. The glint
of the force shield coming up was not missed by Rogue. Duncan cradled
his throbbing hand and walked off mumbling something.

Gabriel sat down across the table from Rogue. Curious Rogue asked “Are
you a mutant? You don’t have to be afraid to answer because I’m a mutant
too.”

“Yah you can say that. I moved here a few days ago from Montana”

Rogue felt as if she knew this guy somehow but could not put her finger
on why. “Why don’t you come with me after school. There is someone I’d
like you to meet.”

“Maybe some other time, I got some things to take care of after class.
How about tomorrow?”

“Ok then, wait with me out in front of the school and I’ll take you to
see the professor” Rogue said while finishing her lunch.

After school Rogue didn’t know exactly why she did it, she followed
Gabriel out the back doors of the school. Rogue caught up with him and
grabbed his wrist with her gloved hand just as Gabriel started
teleporting. Rogue felt a cool tingling run through her body and the
next thing she knew she was somewhere else.

On the bridge of the Avenger Gabriel pulled his hand free of her grasp
“You shouldn’t have done that. You can’t be here!”

“Hold it sugah, you brought me here not the other way around. What is
this place and who are you really. This place looks way too familiar to
a dream I had to be a coincidence.”

Gabriel was fighting a loosing battle with his conscience. He finally
decided to tell her everything, well at lease what she needed to know
“If you’d just calm down and take a seat I’ll explain what you need to
know.”

Rogue took a seat in the navigators chair while Gabriel took the
captain’s seat. He told her about where he was really from and about the
dream he had.

“Wait wait hold the fuck up sugah interdimensional travel, starships
you’ve been readn too much sci-fi mags” Rogue snapped.

“How do you explain where you are at then?”

Rogue rolled her eyes “This is just an elaborate sound stage. I bet
these computer console read outs are nothing but blinking lights under a
Plexiglas template.” To emphasize her point she tapped a few buttons on
the console. She was about ready to speak again when the computer cut
her off “Access to the navigational systems is denied.”

“Please don’t touch the controls. I would show you my Earth, but I’d end
up with my ass in a sling” Gabriel said.

More curious and amazed Rogue asked “Ya wouldn’t mind showin me around
the place would ya?”

“No I cannot do that, you’ve seen too much already” and with that he
mind linked up to the computer and sent Rogue’s earlier transport
pattern to the ship’s transporter. A second later Rogue disappeared as
the transporter beamed her back to the school where she started from.
The reason for Gabriel using an earlier transport pattern instead of
just sending her back normally, is because she’ll have no memory of
being on the ship.

Rogue stood at the back of the school a little disoriented. She shook it
off and headed for the parking lot where she left her eighty-three
Bonneville. As she drove back to the institute she thought of the day’s
events how someone stood up for her when her friends weren’t around. She
was snapped back to reality when someone honked behind her. As the car
drove past her, she flipped them the bird.

“Whew that was close! Fuck this I need a drink, but I don’t know what
will happen being a changeling” The AI of the computer spoke “You must
wait an hour after eating or drinking to absorb the substances. This
information comes from the data collected about Odo, a changeling.”

Gabriel went to his quarters and walked to the replicator and ordered a
Screwdriver. He went to the bookshelf and got a genuine Havana cigar out
of the cigar box and proceeded to light it as he sat down at the desk.
As Gabriel’s cigar came to the end of its usefulness he crushed it out
in the ashtray. He sat there working out a few things on the computer
terminal until late evening. Then he went to bed. The next day Gabriel
woke up early grabbed his stuff and went to the main cargo hold on deck
five. He opened the main ramp which leads to the outside. As he looked
down the ramp he noticed to his luck that there was a dirt road that
crossed in front of the ramp. He then went to the back of the cargo bay
and pulled the cover off a car. The car was a replica of a nineteen
eighty-eight Pontiac Banshee. He opened the car door and got in,
pressing the power button the engine came to life which sounded like a
turbojet, but was very quiet running. He drove down the ramp and started
going toward the main road as the ramp closed behind him. When he
reached the main gates to the institute he opened his window and pressed
the intercom button. A moment later a female voice came over the intercom.

“This is Ororo Munro, do you have an appointment?”

“No I don’t have an appointment, but Rogue told me I can find someone
here about issues I am having.”

Inside the mansion Rogue told Storm that it is ok to let him in that she
met him at school and thought he was a mutant.

A moment later Ororo spoke over the intercom again “Ok I’ll let you in,
Rogue will show you to the Professor.”

Gabriel closed his window as the gates opened. As he drove up the
driveway he saw an older man, guessing him to be Logan lead a bunch of
younger students around the grounds. When he parked in front of the
school he said to the car “Stormshadow don’t let anyone in and darken
the windows”.

“Ok” replied Stormshadow.

As Gabriel got out of the car and headed for the front door Rogue was
waiting for him. “I see ya couldn’t wait till after school to see this
place. How ya find out where I live anyways?”

“Someone at school told me” Gabriel said as they walked in.

In the front foyer Gabriel was greeted by Ororo, Jean, Scot, and the
Professor. He introduced himself to everyone and then looked toward
Rogue. After the warm greetings from Scot and Jean Xavier told Gabriel
and Rogue to follow him to his study.

Outside in the front driveway Rahne in her wolf form was walking around
Gabriel’s car. She jumped when a voice from the car spoke.

“Hey you, scat, scram, go away, bug off!” Stormshadow yelled. If
Stormshadow would have just interfaced with the ship’s computer and
downloaded the personnel files on the x-men she would not have said nothing.

Rahne turned around and cocked her head to one side as she looked at the
car. She ran off into the trees where she left her clothes. She turned
back into her human form and got dressed, and headed back toward the
car. She tried looking through the windows but they were completely
dark. “Who’s in there” she said as she tried the door handle.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d kindly keep your hands to yourself young lady.”

“Who said that?” Rahne said while looking at the car.

“I did, I am the voice of the automated computer of this car.”

Rahne frowned and went into the house saying under her breath “Strange
alarm system”