ataraxion | 001

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[ Though he's been here for almost a month, Erik deliberately hasn't made a public comment, preferring to speak to almost everyone else first and foremost in order to assess the situation ahead of himself, and most importantly, come to terms with the fact that this is not Earth. He'd been mulling over what Kirk had said, as one of the earlier people he had spoken to, particularly the statement that things were different than what he was accustomed to. It's a considerable break from reality, because where Erik last stood was watching the world fall apart as he and several others had essentially outed themselves to the public, and earned a response he had correctly predicted. At least here, several years in the future if what he had learned was anything to go by, there was the possibility that Charles had proven him wrong; an admission he wasn't inclined to concede so early on.

Answers however, were slowly provided, and Erik was forced into a position where he had little choice but to re-evaluate a stance he had sworn by for several years. It was a defeat that had put him at odds with himself, having been forced to interact with not just non-humans like himself, but also humans. They were mere temporary allies, associates at best, until Erik had derived what he needed, piecing together a shaky network that merely served to relay information back and forth for his own means. To either deny the seeming equality that appeared on board, or to deliberately instigate what wasn't there and accept that there would be a conflict. ]

For those of you whom I haven't spoken to, my name is Magneto. [ His voice comes slightly off camera, as all that's deliberately being shown is the side of his jaw, the device loosely held in his palm while Erik processes his next move, tone clipped and to the point. ] It's fruitless at this point to deny one of the differences between many aboard the Tranquility; that there are both humans and non-humans here.

As one of the latter, [ Hope you're hearing that Raven, because Erik just outed himself. ] I intend on making it clear that while we're held captive together, I will not tolerate any exercise of dominance over non-humans. [ Admitting this on Erik's part is a cost because it conflicts with his own stance on how he sees society, one he's finally conceded will not change despite convincing; Charles couldn't do it, the others won't either. ]

That being said, [ Erik lets the device leave the comfort of his hand with only the slightest curl of a finger, raising it until its level directly with his face; just the barest hint of confirmation he needs. Lips curling into a smile, it's evident Erik can do more than just that, but he doesn't intend on letting it all come out immediately ] I'm inclined to put forth what effort it takes to ensure that all of us get out. [ A concession Erik has to make, that some sacrifices are necessary for the greater good, because while mutant superiority is likely to prevail, it takes a back seat to the situation at hand. ]

How many of you are willing to do the same? [ With that, he shuts off the feed, frowning slightly. ]

Private | Spock [40%]:

If you have time, I would like to speak to you in person. [ Vague enough, because Erik's ability to encrypt is absolutely terrible and he doesn't trust it to actually succeed. ]

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Because it's the same in every society. Feed on the weak, pretend to ally with them, whatever. Once they find out we're not as weak as we seem, they'll try to control us.

Fear. That's what they used to tell me it was.

Exactly. They'd fear us for what we're capable of, not out of any other excuse they might have to offer.

[It takes quite a while for her to reply.]

Have you had that? People scared of you. Actually seen it.

If having two armies try to kill you, I'd say that quantifies as being scared of me.

[ He encrypts it not because he has something to hide, but Erik doesn't need to boast, nor does he need to spread hysteria at the time. ]

[She's fought against armies before, but it was never about her or what she was. That sort of reaction had happened closer to home. But she isn't going to tell him - anyone - about that.]

Looks like they didn't manage it. You can do something? An ability. Guessing that way because you look human. They call them pathoses, where I'm from. But there was never anything about us not being human.

I can manipulate metal.

[ There's more to it than Erik is willing to let on, because he's still testing the limits of his abilities. ]

Needless to say, when your armies utilize just that in their weaponry, standing a chance is near impossible.

Like a magnet.

[Codename based on his ability, just like she was used to.]

That's high level.

[Useful, powerful, impressive. But she doesn't think he needs her to tell him that.]

The dogs, they're mine. Caninapath.

[ Texts are near impossible for the snort of laughter that leaves as he reads back her text. Raven had chosen the name for him, most likely because of the same reason she mentioned. ]

High enough, you could say. Takes a bit of practice, but I imagine there's more to it than what I can do.

Explains their behavior when I saw them last. Though if you don't mind me asking, how does it work?

You haven't been trained?

[That's really unusual for her to hear, but then, she'd never met anyone with a pathos back home that wasn't part of the Academy or some similar program at some point.]

I don't know how really. I understand them, they understand me. I can make them do things, too, but it's easier if they just listen to me.

I have, actually.

[ Erik's been trained a little too well for his comfort, but he'd never deny it. At the hands of Shaw was one thing, turned into a weapon easily, the fine control he had over his mutation now nearly perfected. ]

From the moment my ability manifested when I was 12. Your ability is useful, regardless. Dogs are handy to keep around and you should be proud of what you can do.

They took me when I was 7.

[Trained her as many possible uses of her ability as they could, made sure she had any breed of dog that might be best suited to any situation.]

I know. I've seen combat too.

[And then, sent a moment later, when she belatedly realises he was saying good things about her and she just brushed them over,]

Thank you.

I haven't, at least not directly. War's been a part of my life since I was a child and it seems fitting I can't escape it now. [ He's lived through combat enough, if World War II could constitute as such; never as a weapon, but he's been coerced into learning as much. ]

It's not what you, or anyone else needs to endure at any time.

I thought that was what you meant, when you said about the two armies.

[Unless they were both just hunting him down, and that seems even worse than actively being there to fight.]

It's what I'm trained for. They send us on missions. Not all of them are combat, though, I guess.

You'd willingly fight for someone?

[ The idea is incredulous to Erik, just the mere idea of being sent out on a mission, because of what they were, what they could do. ]

Combat or not, to be trained for situations like those is something you'd concede to.

[Willing, concede. Taylor hated the Academy, had done since the day she'd been taken there, but there was only so much rebellion they'd put up with. She fought because she was told to, because she was meant to, because she didn't know any different.

She doesn't know how to answer him, how to explain any of that. It's a long time before she finally replies, repeating:]

They took me when I was 7.

[ The reiteration isn't something he expected, but it helps. To be taken at such a young age, he can only put two and two together, to realize where she's coming from, wondering if she harbors the same sort of hatred Erik kept with himself. ]

Do you hate them?

[ Another technique, something to worm out information, anything so that Erik could give up a bit of himself in return. ]

[She knows the answer to that question immediately, types it out, but hesitates for a moment over sending it. She'd always been as vocal and belligerent as she could manage without being hit with some of the more severe - and permanent - punishments, at the Academy. For some reason it felt strange to share the same sentiment with an outsider.

But that was stupid, she tells herself, and hits send.]

Yes.

[ Yes. Not the answer he wanted to hear, but he heard it anyway, and suffice to say, it hurts. Erik doesn't know her as well as he knows some of the others, like Charles, his own team, but there's a bit of identification on his part that this had happened. Gone is the assumption that she fought for others willingly, but an understanding that she doesn't deserve this. ]

Good. You don't deserve that.

[She'd been able to accept him saying her pathos was useful. That was an assessment of value, of use. But saying something about her as a person was different. In truth she doesn't know how to react to the idea, of what she deserved, of not deserving her life at the Academy. And when she gets uncertain, confused, she digs her heels in.]

You can't say that. You don't know me.

[ No, she’s right; Erik doesn’t know her specifically. He can only conjecture, draw conclusions, but Erik doesn’t need to do that when it’s opinion that no one deserves to be put in a position like that, used as lab rats for nothing more than selfish gains. While he doesn’t know the full extent of Tyke’s past, and won’t draw it out, Erik can only impose his view points to allow others see things from his point of view. ]

You’re right. I don’t. But it doesn’t change anything given what you can do.

[It throws her again, that he agrees with her. A fight, she could deal with, but she's back to not understanding again.]

Why?

Why not? You shouldn't have to let anyone else dictate who you are.

That's what they do.

[So why wasn't Magneto?]

[ Because Erik wasn't that kind of person. ]

They shouldn't. You're an independent person, not someone's property.

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