ataraxion | video;

Hi, everyone.

My name's Richard Rider, I'm of Earth - Terra - twenty first century, and Nova Prime of the Nova Corps, originally of Xandar. And I work for Security here.

Anyway, just wanted to say, since I don't think I've seen anybody talking about it so far. If I'm speaking out of turn, sorry.

One can again enter the unlit corridors away from the inhabited areas of the ship. I say again, though that's not exactly been the case since I showed up here, but anyway.

Those corridors are dangerous. I know I, nor anyone, can actually stop people from going there, [ never mind that Rich is not very fine with the idea of fear controlling one's decisions ] but if you're a recent arrival, please look into the posts made about the recon missions. Look into what happened to Commander Shepard and one member of her team. Talk to people who've been here for a while about it.

Don't go in there blind. Even if you feel you're all alone here, or you're bored out of your mind - your life, and what might happen to you there, does matter. Try to keep as safe as you can.

Thanks for your attention. Nova Prime out.

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[ They're trying, but... they're not up on the level, when it comes to technology. They'll get there, he's pretty certain. ]

Xandar.

[ The correction is absent-minded, and he shrugs. ]

More like a space cop. I mean, not that I've not been in a war, but that's not how it usually works.

A long time ago, the Xandarians figured out how to control and use the Nova force. So they created the Corps, to protect life across the universe. I mean, we don't exactly go and shove ourselves in the inner workings of, say, the Kree empire, but if one of their planet needs to be evacuated, they can send an 8X8 for Nova to help with that, or sorting out whatever caused the evacuation. Or if a space station gets cut off and are losing life support, they can send a call out for rescue.

Centurions have full operational access to the Nova Force. I mean, it's a fraction of the whole thing, but it's pretty impressive.

[ Rich... on occasion has had it all. ]

[And switching to text for a moment, to get a better grasp.]

Spelled as Xandar?

[And switching back to video. The interest is clear on her face as she listens.]

The Nova force is external or something that is internal?

[ He reads the text, and nods. ]

Yeah, exactly. I mean, I know people called Alexander who go by Xander, and that's. Not the same.

[ The other question, though, he considers it for a moment. ]

Kind of both. It's... Novas are given access to a portion of the Nova Force. A very small number of entities can change the, um, throughput of that access, even shut it off completely, but it's. While you have it, it's definitely internal.

In most cases, too, you have it for the rest of your life. So for most Novas, it's basically internal. Part of us. It can keep you alive, even quarantine you from, uh. Well, we go from one planet to another. It wouldn't do to spread a plague without meaning to, right?

[ He fails at explaining. But the Nova Force has been describe as a cosmic force not that different from the Phoenix Force. Only way more controlled. ]

Xander, while not overly popular, is a name in and of itself too.

[No doubt derived from Alexander.]

Then anyone can be delegated these powers to another? It is not a specific genetic make-up that is required to have them?

[Which might be getting more in to the sciences that he knows.

But she gives a smile.] No, it wouldn't do to have that happen.

Do you have some means of translation then as well? Technology, or is that built in with this force? Or...?

Right.

[ Rich's mouth purses, but he nods. ]

Yeah, anyone can be delegated, as far as I know. And they don't need to be mostly biological for it, either. It's just... gotta be done with care - who the person is matters way, way more than what their genetic - or other - makeup may be.

[ He has some idea about the science and a lot about the practice. He's seen a lot of people, of many species, who had been delegated. He's seen a lot of them die. He has no right to forget them. ]

[ The last question is easy, at least. He nods. ]

Yeah, though it's not completely intuitive. It took me a while to get it working, early on. And everything is... part of how the Novas use the force. No technology - trust me, I've been stuck with just my delegated force and nothing else more times than I can count.

[It is interesting to hear about, especially when considered against the mutations that she is familiar with. They aren't granted like that.]

That is quite fascinating, if you'll excuse me for saying so. I'm familiar with special abilities that a person may possess, but I haven't heard of a force quite like that.

[ Some of his best friends are mutants. He gets that. ]

Yeah, well. I hadn't heard about it either, before I got it. I don't think anyone on Earth had.

[ Beat. ]

Well, I suppose Thor might have. Just not the usual bunches of superheroes, like the Fantastic Four or the rest of the Avengers or the X-Men. I was sort of a recruit because there weren't other options. Other than the rest of the population of Earth, I mean.

[It is clear that she had been about to say something, but at the mention of the X-Men, Jean does pause.]

The X-Men?

[Perhaps it is just a name that is commonly used, although by who else, she wouldn't be able to guess.]

[ He's probably going to ask about that, in a moment, but for now, he smiles. ]

Yeah. The biggest - probably most powerful, one way or another - organization of mutants. Established by Professor Xavier and all that.

[ He has good friends who are or at one time were members of the X-Men, okay? ]

[She hadn't said the Professor's name for just that reason, to see what he would say about who he knew.]

Yes. [Although she does pause over his wording.] I teach at his institute- Jean Grey.

[ Oh. Well then. Rich's eyes widen a little - he's not met her, but he's heard about her. Hey, one of his friends' original moniker was Marvel Boy, even. Vance goes by Justice, now, and things are so very different. But, yes, he's heard. As far as he knows - she has to be from the past, from where he was last, in his universe. Or from the future, all things that he knows considered. Or an alternate universe. Or all of the above. ]

Ah-hah. Good to meet you, Ms. Grey. 'm Rich.

[ Wait, with the alternate universes thought, he tenses a little. ]

Wait. You don't happen to come from a universe where death doesn't exist, right? Just checking.

[It is an array of emotions that she can see on his face, and his question is rather peculiar.]

No, I don't. [She knows that for a fact, having witnessed people die, having been in the process of dying herself.]

Is there a reason you ask?

[ He relaxes, nodding. ]

Okay, that's good. That universe had doubles for just about everybody, and they were not nice to hang out with. At all. I'd rather... not take chances.

[ Beat. ]

And, yeah, they did try to expand into our universe. That was a bit of a problem, there.

Doubles? That was naturally occurring?

[It sounds... odd, to say the least. Although what is odd, considering where she currently is?]

To what end? To rule?

Well...

Some alternate universes are closer to ours than others. Those that're close usually have some sort of doubles for a lot of people. The more different the universe, the less alike the doubles, until there's nobody to recognize, I guess.

[ Rich shrugs. ]

Considering that they don't die, and we do, to take over. Have more space to live. I don't think talking was the best idea, once they started coming through in force. Not when it came to hashing out what their plans were - it was enough to know that they wanted in, whatever the consequences for us might be.

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