Bellwether

"This," Professor Xavier sighed, "is beyond irritating."

"I'm sure," the Shi'ar woman replied in what could pass for dry tones. "You can only imagine how this is for us. We exiled the prisoner to your planet. We did not expect for you and your people to interfere in his punishment…" She paused and raised a pale brow in seeming disgust. "You have interfered in the business of an entire planet, Xavier, and this has not gone unnoticed."

"You must not be familiar with my previous and ongoing projects," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation. "Is the crew safe?"

"Everyone is safe," she shrugged eloquently. "All are safe. Even you, you have displeased me." She smiled thinly and rose to her feet in a fluid motion entirely at odds with the bird-like quality of her appearance. "I must admit that a few of your…people…had a close call or two when they overreacted to our presence but it is quite difficult to get a valid and true reading on people inside those irritating metal tubes. All those conflicting signals, the resonance of metal…" She shook her head and made a tsking noise. "Irritating."

"Planes," Xavier sighed. "You are a member of, allegedly, one of the most advanced species in the universe in terms of technology and you cannot remember the word airplane." He shifted in his chair and assumed an expression of calm control as he assessed the Shi'ar and her guards, two larger, apparently male, beings standing on either side of her throne. "Are we detectable on radar?"

"No," she replied, her smile twisting into something infinitely more cruel and vain. "Nor on sonar or any other of your quaint, earth-based technologies. You must understand, Xavier, that I do not wish you or yours harm. I wish for the prisoner to assume his punishment and when this is accomplished, you will never see us again. Unless you must." She paused again and pierced him with a sharp glare. "Your people interfered so they must be the ones who retrieve him."

The Professor was silent for a very long moment before sighing almost inaudibly. "Think about this, Lilandra. He is alone, on this planet he is not truly familiar with except academically. He cannot pass unnoticed, he cannot interact, he cannot claim power of anyone, at least not in a meaningful way. He is punished." He was put off but the seeming change in her personality between the last time he had seen her and the present. She seemed more hard, bitter and angry than before. He understood the need for a spine of steel, for the ability to separate personal and professional feelings, but this seemed beyond the pale. But, he reminded himself sternly, he was imposing human values onto a Shi'ar. He was doing one of the things he hated most, being centric to his own paradigm.

Lilandra did not move, did not even seem to breathe, for almost a full minute as she stared at a spot past Professor Xavier, somewhere on the wall of the ship's makeshift throne room. Just when the Professor's concern nearly spilled into action, she spoke. "I see your point. I was blind to all but my anger before." She shifted her gaze to his and her smile became just a shade genuine. "You are not my prisoner, Professor Charles Xavier of Earth." She moved towards him, her fluttering garment giving the impression of floating instead of walking. She stopped just short of touching him, her aura extending to encompass him, a sort of psychic embrace, moving into his personal space ephemerally rather than physically. "It is not entirely by accident that I am here, Professor Xavier. Earth has certain…attractions…that I feel will be beneficial to the cause of the Shi'ar at this time."

He remained as neutral as possible in both tone and expression as he asked, "What would that be?" He could feel the other humans on the ship moving now, awakening. He wanted to end this soon and have them all back where they belonged before too many questions were asked and lied about.

She paused, her lips slightly parted as she considered him. "I know your worries, and they will not go unheeded." At some unspoken command, the guards moved, striding past them and through the opening door. "They will be returned to your…plane…and their memories will only show them a brief period of…."

"Turbulence?" he suggested and she inclined her head in agreement. "What is it you want from me, Lilandra? I do not think I can offer any meaningful aide…"

"You would be surprised, Professor Charles Xavier." She straightened, coming to her full height, her aura withdrawing from his. The interview, it seemed, was over. "I will come to you in one Earth diurnal period. Be ready. We have much to discuss."