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Crystal was in Attilan only days ago, petitioning the Council for permission to share technological information with the Avengers. Perhaps because she actually asked first, or perhaps because she was convincing, permission was ultimately granted and she returned to share it with the technologically-inclined members of the team. Of course, there's always a delay between information and production, but there's plenty to be done in the meantime. Including hiring staff.
As the person with the most understanding of what's needed from staff (or at least the one most likely to not scare them off in an interview), Crystal has been tasked with looking over resumes. Since it doesn't have to be done inside, she's actually sitting on the front stoop, flipping through papers. The light blue cotton dress she wears certainly isn't in the style of Attilan.
*
The trip from Attilan to New York City was difficult: so long in the sky, so far from any machines of import— Nexus was nearly comatose through much of it, relying almost entirely upon his Bond and the primitive electronics on the plane. The arrival in the New York City was a relief. He isn't whole, not like he is in Attilan, but after the plane? He doesn't yet feel the diminishment. Not much. He made his way through the city towards the Park— its given a curious look, but it is straight to the Mansion that he goes.
The phone nearest to Crystal rings. Only, its ring is not normal at all: Nexus modulates the tones of the ringer to play out a crude immitation of a popular song that isn't known anywhere but one place. Home.
*
-— New Activity ---
Crystal looks up at the ring, brows furrowing slightly. She sets the papers down, moving a glass on top to hold them in place, then steps back inside to pick up the phone, tucking it between her ear and her shoulder. "Hello?" she says into the receiver, glancing toward the window.
*
"It is Nexus Oculai." The technopath's voice does not sound quite right: it sounds artificial. It sounds that way because it is, since he has no phone. Back home it would sound perfect, but it would take much effort to do that here. "I am on a mission of the Council." Read: Mom sent him. "And while here, I thought to touch base with others of ours who have business here. I understand you are to be sharing some technology? I thought perhaps I could be of assistance, between… my other duties. I am just outside, may I come in, Miss Amaquelin?"
*
"Nexus!" Almost anyone else would be worried if someone was coming as a representative of the Council. Or if not worried, then wary and offended. Crystal, on the other hand, sounds warm and welcoming, in stark contrast to the artificial neutrality of his altered voice over the line. "Of course. Come in. Or I'll come and let you in. If you're on the porch, pick up that stack of paper, would you?" She doesn't wait for an answer, setting the phone down with a click and hurrying back to the door to hold it open with a swift smile. "Welcome."
*
Nexus is not an especially imposing man, though he is healthy and fit. He's dressed in a proper suit, charcoal gray over a black shirt without a tie. His smile is easy and warm when the door opens, and in the dim light the pal circuits that criss-cross his skin are not especially visible… but in the pale light, the circuits that criss-cross his irises are, their glow bright enough to make the lines stand out on his blue eyes. "Crystal." he greets, the papers in hand as he steps forward, "You are looking well: the outer wasteland is not taking too heavy a toil on you, I think."
*
"I cheat," Crystal points out with a wry smile, reaching out to take the papers and shepherd him inside. "I've been staying mostly at a place outside the city here, honestly. And of course, I spend time at least weekly purifying the area. It should be a bit better while you're on the grounds here at least. I haven't been here long, though, I'm still…Well. It's a relatively old city for the outside world, and not a very clean one."
*
Lifting a hand, Nexus rubs at his head a moment, a look of some pain flashing across his features, "It is so primitive." as he follows her in, "To be even a semblance of myself I need to be in the city: I will have to find some… nature… from time to time, but I can not tell you how much I dread that. To be free of the pollution will be a blessing, to be a thin shell of myself will be a bane." Nexus might have a harder time being outside of Attilan then most of their people. "The Core sustains me, though." He tilts his head, "These Avengers, can they be trusted with our technology? Of course the Council clearly agreed, but I admit, I worry. Even if it would make my life easier if they were uplifted en masse."
*
"I believe they can, or I wouldn't have asked," Crystal answers, leading the way to a sitting room paneled in rich wood, shelves lined with fewer books than they can hold, but there are boxes still to be unpacked. "I would truly love to introduce you to Tony Stark," she laughs softly. "He's convinced there's no technology he can't figure out. And perhaps he's right, but in the meantime, I suspect you would at least feel somewhat at home with him. If you can get past the attitude."
*
Following along, Nexus' shining circuit eyes take in the surroundings with a curious and intense look. Inside, with the increased lighting, the pale lines along his skin become much more visible. "A technologist, then? I would consent to meeting the best the outside world has to offer." His tone says quite clearly he does not expect to be in the least impressed. Tony and Nexus can have an Arrogance showdown. "I am skeptical of his claim, naturally. I'm not sure even I fully understood the Core until we Bonded. Of course, I was a programmer and not an engineer, then." He takes a seat, settling and takes a long, slow breath, "Do you need help with this Avengers project, Crystalia? As I said, I have a mission, but I do not expect it will occupy all of my time."
*
Crystal arches a brow at the offer, stepping to a small bar at one side of the sitting room to pour two glasses of water. "I would never turn down your help," she says slowly. "But I wouldn't wish to interfere with your mission either. I will confess," she laughs, a grin spreading as she passes over a glass of water and takes a seat across from him. "The idea of watching Tony Stark try to lord his latest inventions over you does amuse me. I know it all seems primitive here. Electronics, communications, knowledge of healing and the body are all…more limited here. But they do have their geniuses, in entirely different areas. They do amazing things with simple mechanics. Without our gifts, they have found their own means."
*
"My utility is… limited, outside of Attilan." admits Nexus softly, "However, as primitive as they are, they are developing." He closes his eyes and tilts his head, and the circuits on his skin become more visible as the faintest glow shines out of them. Quietly, "If I concentrate, I can touch every circuit, wire and signal in the city." The circuits fade and his eyes open, "And I am never without access to the Core and the power of its computational matrix." There is a pause, thoughtful, "And it is never without access to me." But he shrugs slightly, "The matter of my mission is a certain geneticist, she is looking into things that concern the Council. I will monitor her and enure she is not dangerous, and discourage any lines of development that would endanger us. But this will hardly occupy all of my time." Then, he reaches up to accept the glass with a warm, easy smile: as much as he is machine, he's still a man. "After being with them so long, you must find my… looking down on them, arrogant, I imagine, Crystalia. I will admit they are not quite cavemen grunting and swinging clubs." A wry grin: he's joking. Mostly. But his tone turns grave, "I do recognize they have certain accomplishments, though. Unfortunately, it is not in clean energy— and is often in weaponry that even we can not match."
*
Crystal laughs, shaking her head as she leans back on the couch. "We have no monopoly on arrogance in this world, Nexus," she smiles ruefully. "The Asgardians find even us to be young and small and weak. They look at our technology and raise us magic. There are those among the mutants who believe they are the next step in evolution, that they are destined to own this world. Men like Stark, who see the future in scientific genius. Arrogance is one thing I have not forgotten from lack of exposure." She takes a sip of her own water, pensive. "There are few women in science out in this world. And genetics is in its infancy."
*
"I have heard a little of these Asgardians. I would give much to see one of these devices they call magic." Nexus looks very intrigued by this concept: of course he doesn't even vaguely believe in magic. "For a technology to appear such it must be deeply advanced — and if I could touch it, feel it, hear the song and rhythm of its functioning…" Oh yes. He wants access to such a thing. He sips his water and shrugs slightly, "Perhaps these 'mutants' are, but if they are, it is a wild, uncontrolled thing. Until they understand and guide what they are, it is genetic chaos." The son of a Councilor finds this clearly displeasing. But he nods finally, "She is a rarity. It is what drew the Council's attention: certain reports from agents afar. The Council is not opposed to the outside world developing genetic technology— their development is such that it would be like objecting to them discovering fire— but her research is of concern."
*
"Mmm, the mutants are still very much learning," Crystal muses. "But they have no control over when they discover their gifts. And without genetic testing, they have no way of knowing even if they should expect it. And then it happens, and there's no one there to walk them through it. It's a travesty, really." She clears her throat then, shaking her head. "Do you have a name for this scientist, then? Perhaps I've heard of her."
*
Nexus nods his head in agreement with Crystal's assessment, "It is like the early days, before the Council, before testing and control of bloodlines. Perhaps they have to go through this stage as we did, and… suffer the consequences, as we did. I do not begrudge them evolution, but seeing the chaos unfold — what if a Blackbolt was born to them, Crystalia?" And then to the latter he simply nods, "Vesper Mezieres."
*
"They certainly have people of great power," Crystal sighs, though the name that follows gives her pause. "I know that name." She frowns slightly, working through a memory. "I think I met her. With Gorgon, actually." She quirks a brow, looking back over to him. "I don't suppose he was sent on the same mission as you were?"
*
The technopath shakes his head slowly, "My mother would not ask me to leave Attilan if another was handling the situation. She knows what this costs me." There is pain in his voice, though tightly controlled. "Or, she knows as much as anyone knows. I don't really think most understand — but then again I can not really understand the connection you have with the elements." He purses his lips, "I intend on meditating tonight, and searching the city. A scientist on the cutting edge can not function without computers, so I will find her in short order… but it is unexpected to hear Gorgon knows her. Considering the specifics of her research, I don't like that she is close to any of us."
*
"I'm sure she should be relatively easy to find," Crystal nods. "But what is it about her research that's drawn the attention of the Council? As you said, they're bound to identify their own genetics and how to read them eventually." She takes a sip of her water, considering him carefully, as if she might pick up something else just from watching him.
*
There is a moment of hesitation, but Nexus inclines his head slightly, "There is reason to suspect she may share, in some small amount, our blood." There's a ripple that passes through him though he moves not an inch besides lifting his glass tos ip the water. It is in the circuits: pale lines become distinct as a mild but noticible light radiates from them, as Nexus accesses the Core. "I do not know the reason why this is suspected: but it is not acceptable to the Council that the humans learn of our genetic heritage."
*
Crystal tilts her head, piecing things together. "Of course," she muses. "And no doubt she's using her own blood or other samples for her testing. The Council is naive, though, if they think there's even a secret to keep," she sighs, shaking her head with a slight roll of her eyes. "We are different. If we're ever to step foot outside of Attilan, they will know we are different. We've never been ashamed of it before. Never hidden who and what we are. We are a proud people. Being seen by others shouldn't change that."
*
"It is not a question of secrecy, it is not a question of hiding who we are." Nexus shakes his head slowly, "They, largely, do not know us, and because of our ancient history we prefer that, of course. I do not agree with this position. But. It is one thing to know us, it is another to analyze and understand our genetic heritage." The technopath's lips purse, "They hate eachother for the mere color of their skin: a trivial genetic anomaly related to the expression of a single amino acid. In the ancient times they hated us before we distanced ourselves and founded Attilan. Would they befriend us knowing our relationship to the Kree? After an alien killed the leader of one of the world's great powers? It is not that we are different that is a concern. It is our origin. They don't even accept their own chaotic evolutionaries, but a people bred and designed by aliens?"
*
"I suspect that they would," Crystal shrugs. "More than the mutants, at least. They fear the mutants because they are hidden. Because they cannot see them coming. Because it could be them or their neighbor or anyone and no one would know any differently. Because their powers are uncontrolled, because chaos follows each change. None of these are true of us. We know what and what we are. Our powers and are changes are controlled. We are ancient, and we have technology that puts them to shame, and yet we are not alien. And Randac knows, they're enamored of the idea of royalty," she snorts softly. "We are the bridge, Nexus. Not just between humanity and Inhumanity, but between humanity and mutants, humanity and the rest of the cosmos. We stand touching each world. They need us."
*
The technopath considers for a long moment, and once again the circuits of both his eyes and skin become more apparent. He moves only to sip the water again. "You may be correct." concedes Nexus with a slight nod, "I admit trepidation toward these mutants. In their own way, it is terrigenesis with no controls, and there is little more dangerous then that. But perhaps we can teach them and help their evolution. But." His expression firms, "To do so we must have, ourselves, a measure of control. A measure of influence. It can not be just on goodwill: if this Vesper woman discovers the barest hints of what the Council knows of our genetics, they may run with it without our experience. If we are to be this bridge, we must control it as we control our own development. Introducing Inhuman genetics into the already chaotic evolution of humanity could lead to… unimaginable situations. This is what my mother fears."
*
"There are mutants who would be happy to offer samples." Granted, not Erik. There are some elements of Inhuman society that Crystal is very careful not to bring up around a man who survived the Holocaust. "If you'd like to meet some, I will be happy to arrange something. But." She stands up, a mischievous smile flickering across her features. "You should take a rest from the pollution of the city. Come and see the labs that are underway here. I'd be most interested to hear your opinions on them."