Stars (4)

[Space]

- Back on the ship:

The ships' occupants separated as they entered the gate that would take them into Shi'ar space. Clark was in what appeared to be the ship's mess, at least he assumed that was given the number of chairs and tables present, in his hand was a tablet where he heard and read words being spoken and written in Shi'ar and then translated into English.

While not something he would normally do, it brought him a level of familiarity as it made him fondly remember all the times he spent in the library helping with research with the group, plus realistically it can be helpful to know that the language should they need it.

It also helped to keep his mind off of what might be happening on Earth, he hoped Bastion wouldn't make a move until his return, but he was sure Giles would have contingencies should that happen and he wasn't present.

'Different universes, different people, but still the same problems when it comes to saving lives.' He thinks to himself, like he used to when he has some downtime.

He knew that one of the things he would need to fix is ​​how to return the Omega Prime Sentinels back to free-thinking humans. It was innocent lives being turned into mindless machines to hunt people who never had the choice to be born different.

'It's funny and sad how in the future the machines discover that there is no difference between a normal human and a mutant, while in the present a war for genetics rages on.' He thinks with a hint of sadness, it would have made a strange sight that before the changes that happened in his life he would think in such a way that before all he could think about is how they were going to survive the night or the next apocalypse.

However, he also had to be realistic, knowing that when the mutated humans attacked, they would put innocent lives in danger and he couldn't afford to take it easy... he might as well have to destroy them if that mean to protect an innocent.

'Damn if I do, damned if I don't.' He thought bitterly, if he had the chance in Bastion, he would tear the cyborg limb from limb for this madness.

His musings were interrupted by the arrival of his companions dressed in something more skewed to the Shi'ar, he couldn't help but whistle at the sight of them.

"Well ladies and gentlemen I must say you look quite bold and lovely in these clothes, is this the new Shi'ar winter collection by any chance?" Clark joked with a smile on his face that earned a smile from Gambit, a chuckle from Beast while Bishop and Joseph simply scowled, as for the women, he laughed at Rogue and Trish.

"I want you to know that this is the ultimate space adventure suit." Trish reacted with a confident tone, despite not knowing much about the new hero who was slowly gaining global notoriety with his rescues and international interventions in the absence of the Avengers and Fantastic Four.

'Maybe I can get an interview.' Her in-house reporter couldn't help but wait, so far no media outlet other than the Daily Bugle had gotten any information about the man, so she couldn't help but hope for one.

"And here I thought all women liked Chanel, Gucci and Prada." He joked back as he placed the tablet on the table and stood up.

"Oh? The man knows his brands, well if you put on a pair of Cartier or Tiffany's and now we're in business." Tilby responds with a wink.

"My... friend was a lady of exquisite tastes who made a point of educating me in what she felt were the essentials of women's wardrobe and jewelry." Clark responds with affection and a bit of longing in his voice as he thinks of Lana Lang and their time together before she had an accident.

The small group noticed this and didn't press him for details as they didn't do what made him uncomfortable with them. Now they needed all the help they could get and having someone so powerful on their side was a must.

"Well then, my good sir, it looks like introductions are in order as we are all caught up in this unique intergalactic web of intrigue and suspense." Always the diplomat Hank spoke as he walked forward with his hand outstretched.

"Henry McCoy, in his service, I am also called Hank or Beast's Nom de guerre, due to my rather unique appearance." The man says gently, Clark detects a hint of nervousness in the man as he speaks in his manner, despite his positive tone.

"Pleasure is my Doctor." Clark replied as he shook the man's hand confidently to show that he wasn't surprised by his appearance.

"And here we have the ever-curious, intrepid, lovable Trish Tilby, reporter extraordinaire." The blue-furred mutant proudly introduced his lover who rolled her eyes humorously and slapped him playfully.

"Stop this." She says before extending her hand.

"Nice to meet you ma'am." Clark was polite.

"Call me Trish please, I've never been one for formalities outside of work." The reporter commented kindly, Clark in turn nods in agreement before Hank speaks once more.

"Here we have our lovely southern belle, as well as a powerhouse, if you will, Rogue." he says as he introduces the only other woman present.

"Nice to meet sugah, heard some good things about you." Rogue says fondly as she holds out her hand, which he shakes before speaking.

"It's my honor miss, I've also heard of your team's exploits, which makes it a shame that the rest of the world doesn't show you the respect you and others deserve. Especially during the Onslaught incident, which I deeply regret as I do. wasn't in a position to offer much help to my shame.." He was sincere about it, he would have given anything to help the heroes stand up to that monster, maybe stop the heroes from being sent away to that pocket universe.

"Thank you for your kindness, it was an uphill battle and to see all those good men and women give up their lives to stop that thing was even harder knowing that we couldn't do the same because it would make that monster stronger. Oh, pray that they are at peace knowing your sacrifice was not in vain and helped save the world." Rogue responded with understanding and sadness.

It also goes without saying how shaken the team was by the creature's origins as a manifestation of Charles and Erik's darker natures. Coupled with the deaths caused by the still-incurable legacy virus, Xavier's imprisonment at the hands of the government, and the anti-mutant sentiment on the rise, it was understandable that the mutant heroes were incredibly stressed and worried about their future.

'Oh I just don't know how much more we can take.' She thinks grimly that things seem to be getting worse for her people and it's only a matter of time before it explodes.

"Still, I hope I can help on this impromptu mission of ours." he said before turning to Bishop.

"Just call me Bishop." The big man said with a nod and nothing else.

'Well, now I know who to label grumpy number 1.'

"I just answer to Joseph." The man who was apparently a rejuvenated Magneto responds while also mimicking Bishop's posture.

'…and here's grumpy number 2.' Clark thinks dryly while silently amused by the dirty look Rogue gives the man. His attention is then switched to Gambit, who finds his actions amusing.

"Ignore them mon frere, they lack certain social skills, you see, name is Remy LeBeau, but my friends call me Remy or Gambit." The Cajun man says kindly as he holds out his hand.

"Bonjour Mr. LeBeau, c'est un plaisir de faire votre connaissance." He responds in French to the former member of the thieves' guild.

"Oh? Tu connais le français? Vous parlez comme un indigene?" Remy responds in kind, a little taken aback but pleased nonetheless, he rarely gets to say that while living in NY... outside of courting women, of course.

"I studied many languages ​​during my training to better help people if I find myself outside the US, Mr. LeBeau, I think they react better in times of crisis when I come to help them and I speak in their native language." Clark responds in all honesty, as he really did, it helped that his brain makeup is much more advanced and efficient compared to the average human.

"Cool, and please, Remy or Gambit is fine, never one was for propriety." The thief remembers with a relaxed smile and a mischievous look.

"Lahke you had some to start with swamp rat." Rogue added with a smile of her own on her pretty face.

"Oh, it hurts me here, right here." Remy scolds with mock sadness as she holds her heart.

Clark couldn't help but laugh at this, he knew their history together as they had both had their fair share of tragedies and triumphs in their lives and Remy found himself drawn to her despite her powers. He also knew that now Rogue had something going on with Joseph, although this had to do with his previous encounter with Magneto, he knew it was none of her business to get involved.

"So, now that our introductions are done, or more or less in the case of Joseph and Bishop, could you grace us with a little knowledge about yourself, buddy?" Hank politely and eloquently asks.

"Well, I see no harm in that, after all we are all in the same boat or starship in this case." Clark said.

"Perhaps a deal can be made once we get back to one on one on the Network I work on?" The reporter asks why she would love to have an exclusive interview with the man.

"Well, I've done enough of that with the Daily Clarin, but I don't see why not." Clark answered honestly.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Kal-El from the house of El on the planet Krypton." He speaks with pride.

"Are you really an alien? But you look so human!" Trish says surprise, a sentiment shared with the others, as they rarely see alien species that share such close similarities with humans, at best they've encountered the pink Kree in the form of fallen Captain Mar-Vell and the Shi'ar with their avian ancestry.

"Fascinating, all of your kind share your amazing abilities? How did you come to our world? How long have you been here? How…" Beast, always a scientist at heart, began to unleash a stream of questions, this was a first contact scenario after all.

"Hank! Hank! Let the man talk for God's sake." Rogue intervenes as she gently shakes her mutated blue fur shoulders to calm him down.

"Okay, sorry, I let my scientific curiosity get the best of me." The man responds in an embarrassed tone as Gambit chuckles at the man's enthusiasm.

"No harm done doc, I actually expected that reaction. However, what I must point out to Miss Tilby is that, as far as I know of my species, it existed long before mankind, so really I must ask why you look like me, so to speak." Clark comments from what he knows that Krypton and its people were much older than Earth.

"Oh, my stars and leagues, this is impressive! How are your people, may I ask?" Hank respectfully asks as he and the others take a seat around the man.

"Well, they were very advanced and scientifically oriented, although they seemed to have some religious beliefs, but they were also, unfortunately, quite isolationist after giving up on space exploration." Clark honestly tells the group of mutant heroes and the reporter.

"Why do you refer to them in the past tense?" Joseph pointed out, as he found it strange how the man referred to his homeworld in that way.

At that point he gave them a thoughtful look, even though he hadn't grown up there, he still used to think about where he came from in his private moments.

From the information he had, it was hardly a utopia, advanced yes, but far from ideal, yet the Man of Steel often wondered what if his biological parents had survived, would they be proud of what he did or what his life would be like if he did? it had never exploded. Clark felt sorry for people who isolate themselves so much that humanity takes for granted the feelings between loved ones, the thrill of exploring the unknown or the dread of discovery.

"Because Krypton no longer exists, an instability within the planet's core destroyed it from the inside out, and despite my best efforts to prove otherwise... I am sad to say that I am the last of my people." He ended sadly with a smile, the feeling coming more from being torn away from the people he loved, so there was nothing fake about the sadness he was expressing right now.

The heroes and the reporter looked at him with pity and sadness when they learned that he was the only survivor.

"How did you survive, may I dare ask?" Hank asks gently, as this is a touchy subject to talk about.

"The Head of our House at the time, a brilliant scientist named Jor-El, anticipated that the planet was doomed and after his discoveries were rejected by the ruling body at the time, he took steps to save what he could of Krypton. he felt it was really worth preserving." Clark had to delve into the memories of what Jor-El had told him about his world history.

"And what was important to him?" Trish asks if she would like a camera now, she felt this man's story needed to be told.

"I'll keep the details out for now, but towards the end his society changed radically and not for the better, at least in his eyes. He felt that many sacrifices were made and much was lost of what made our people great because of terrible tragedies that led to the stagnation of our people and their inevitable destruction." Clark started.

"He believed that for the legacy of our people to live on, and I mean truly live on, a clean slate was necessary, so he created a ship with an experimental transwarp drive, the first in millennia to appear on Krypton, which he developed. , where he sent his only newborn son to another world to survive the calamity, and here we are." Clark finished.

This shocked the heroes as it seemed like such a radical idea, Clark realized this and decided to elaborate.

"I know this comes as a shock, but from the information he sent, I would have to agree with his decision. The Krypton he lived in was cold and unfeeling, as if people forgot the simple joys in life, the wonders of discovery. and exploration, the fear of the unknown, so much so that the news of the end of the world was seen with mockery." Clark listed some faults of his people.

"I don't know about that..." Trish didn't mean to sound cynical, but being a reporter she had seen a lot in that profession, and it swayed her opinions of her peers. Case in point, the current atmosphere regarding mutants after the Onslaught battle.

She wanted to believe that with the example set by heroes like the X-men and the Avengers coming together to face a common enemy, it would show people that unity is possible, but then you had fanatics like Hydra or the Anti Mutants, or the government falling on them that it makes her question her faith in humanity.

"Miss Tilby, I know it's hard to have any faith in your fellow man, believe me I know." Clark got scared when he felt a little tired when he started to explain.

"I can hear and see more than any ordinary human being, and what I've discovered is that there is so much pain and suffering all over the world that it makes me wish I could crawl into some deep crevice and block it all off and never come back out." He started to remember how much he hated that aspect of their powers, he could tell by their expressions that they hadn't expected it, but still he carried on.

"Men and women hurting and killing each other for silly, petty reasons such as race, religion or accumulating wealth and power just to have it while trampling good, innocent people in the process just because they can... compassion can exist in such an environment?" He asks the group quietly as his head is lowered before looking at them not with sadness or bitterness, but rather looking hopeful.

"But I've also seen his capacity for kindness, compassion and courage in brave men and women in colorful suits and in ordinary people who, for a brief moment, stop and engage in random acts of kindness or are simply a good Samaritan to people who are nothing but strangers needing help." Clark finished with a smile.

"Jor-El believed that there was greatness in you or that desire to strive for greatness and that you just lacked a light to show you the way... I can't say that I am that light, I'm not arrogant enough to believe it. I can save everyone, no matter how much I want to, but I know in my heart and soul that he wasn't wrong because I live in a world where heroes exist." Clark spoke more and more excited.

"Brave and compassionate people willing to give their all to protect the said world and its people, no matter the cost, because no matter your powers, your abilities, or your origins, you have voluntarily chosen to champion a truly just cause... and because you made the difficult choice to do what is right and not convenient you inspired me to do the same, and i thank you for that." Clark resolutely finishes for the group of mutants who are somewhat stunned by his words of gratitude.