Arc Ten. Chapter Two-Hundred Ninety-Eight. To The Moon And Back

In the courtroom, as Charles had shaken Peter's hand, he had sent him a simple message, one he had put aside while he was making sure Malik and the rest of the idiots in government were taken care of.

Visit us, and Jean needs to see you.

Peter didn't really know what to make of Jean. He knew he was lacking in that department himself, and often suffered panics over ignoring or snubbing someone. It had taken a long lecture from everyone to let him know he was fine. The relationships in the warehouse were a family now, and while his presence was often sought after, it was not a requirement.

Jean on the other hand had vanished since the Sentinel attack, and now Peter knew she was with Charles and the X-Men. Which left him wondering, why hadn't she contacted them?

If Charles and the others were building a secret base and had finally managed to get Jean back on their team, then why hadn't she sent a message. Letting him know she was safe and she wouldn't be back.

That was what bothered him. They had heard from Logan, he called to let them know Selene and the Genoshians were in hiding, and that he would be making a move on Hank Pym, having picked up his trail in California. So if Logan could, why not Jean?

The only way he was going to find out was to bite the bullet and go visit her, but Charles said to send a signal and someone would pick him up.

Walking out onto the roof, he sent out the telepathic message and was shocked as a ripple shimmered in space a few feet away from him, on the other side was the young Charles he had met, and a sterile, white room, with no furniture, just a young man he didn't recognise and Charles.

"I assure you it's safe, one of our Augments can create portals. It's how we escaped the Sentinels." and with no reason to doubt the man, Peter stepped through.

Peter was stunned as he surveyed the dome they had built. It was a masterpiece of structural engineering, and while the space was vast it was still busy. He could see not just Augments with physical differences but several normal-looking families.

Charles strode forwards, "It is so nice to see you Peter, and while he looks remarkably different, this is actually Erik," and as Peter stared at the thin tall man he was astounded at just how handsome Erik was as well. As if both had been models in their prime and not freedom fighters trying to avoid capture from the government. Erik was square-jawed with piercing blue eyes, and while his new body was thinner than the muscled grey hair man he was before, Peter could still see the resemblance.

"You are staring Peter. I think you should leave that look for Wanda." Erik joked and Peter laughed,

"Only because she took one look at you and yelled for ten minutes." Peter quipped back. He had already had this talk from Wanda, and she was not as happy about the foundation of Avalon as a lot of other Augments were. He guessed though her problem was the fact that her father now only looked a few years older than her. Which she had failed to mention.

"Well, If we were to found this place, we needed to be much younger than before." and Peter raised an eyebrow. "No, we were being truthful. The cloning technology doesn't always work, and it cannot successfully replicate every power. And it comes with a heavy price." Charles admitted.

They had found the failed result of the cloning process in the basement of Bar Sinister and once they had managed to get him to shut up, discovered that not only was his power unstable, but so was he. "Oh don't worry, even someone like Stark can't replicate this or even you with your powers."

"And am I being kept in suspense or are you going to tell me?" Peter asked with a smile. He was here to find out if Avalon and AIM could work together, as well as help any Augment with physically damaging mutation contain or harness their powers without killing themselves. Charles had a great distrust of the Earth authorities but deep respect for the work Peter had been doing with power dampeners and had asked Scott if he could examine his visor and contacts.

"All in good time. We have a meal planned. Business is always stuffy, a good meal should always precede negotiations."

Peter half frowned, the first business dinner he had, he was poisoned by Extremis, and the next was with Shaw, hopefully, the third time was the charm.

"Oh, and of course, Jean will be joining us. She is very excited to see you, Peter, just please, try to behave while you are here. You have a bad enough reputation as it is." Charles said, laughing as Erik's face fell,

"Yes, please behave. Wanda is incorrigible enough, with MJ, is it? I really don't understand how the hippy movement managed to make it this far," Erik said sadly, "you are a bad influence, Peter."

Peter half shrugged, "and I'm sure looking like that you're complaining, or you would have stayed a grumpy old man."

Charles laughed, "I do believe there are several who were just as shocked to see him as you were, times change old friend, and so must we."

Erik tutted, "You're only saying that as you found someone within a few days. You just don't need to be so smug about it."

As Charles and Erik continued to bicker, Peter was more interested in the post surrounding the archway he had walked through. He had seen dimensional gates before. Stephen used them and so did Wanda but this was different. Theirs was a spinning vortex, whereas this was a ripple, like a whirlpool that opened. As he moved and placed a hand on the post, Charles spotted him and laughed, "go ahead, you should recognise it immediately."

As Peter lay his hand on the pillar he lifted it off immediately, before gingerly placing it back down. "This is a Sentinel,"

Charles smiled and gently clapped. "Well, not quite. It is a replica of the Sentinels transformative and adaptive power, hosting cultured Augment cells to perform a specific purpose."

Peter let his power spread through it, checking each component in turn, and it was definitely not alien, and thankfully, he couldn't find any of the strange metal in any of its components. Sighing in relief. "But how? I thought we got them all?"

"You did, in New York, but there was also an attack on Genosha," Charles said as he walked forwards and motioned Peter to follow him. They walked along a long boulevard, a replica of any on Earth, including foliage, and if Peter couldn't see through the thick plexiglass dome over their heads into the black void above, he would swear he was on Earth.

"We have an Augment with more powerful abilities like your own. He recreated the machine's core but used normal materials, and we use it to power everything. Including our shield."

Peter looked up. "The glass isn't thick enough to block radiation. That's what you meant on Earth," he explained as he thought, "You replicated Erik's power, buried generators at predetermined intervals and gave the moon an electromagnetic shield."

Charles smiled at Erik, "Told you he would figure it out. We licensed several Arcstar reactors from Olivia and sunk them into the core of the satellite. Kitty was very helpful in that regard. As long as we keep them running, using ordinary water to fuel the fission reaction, we will always be protected here."

"And I bet you have several Augments with animal or plant manipulation powers, set up hydroponics and smallholding for food. You made sure you're completely self-reliant."

Charles laughed, "Very smart," and his face fell, becoming serious, "and now you know too much. I'm afraid you can't leave."

As Peter paused, Charles looked at Erik, whose stoic face cracked and he laughed as Peter glared at him, "I told you he wouldn't find it funny."

Peter rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, hilarious." making Erik laugh harder.

While Charles explained the new laws Peter was distracted by exactly how much work had been done in the dome, and as he discovered it was domes. Residential areas were built, and this was the main meeting area and shopping district. What couldn't be made on the colony was shipped in, all legal and proper.

New laws were being written, and even the ARCA was being changed. Augments would receive dual citizenship, one for their own country and one for Avalon, and Charles had laid down the ground rules. Not all Augments had to agree, and they didn't even have to join the colony, but those that did lived by laxer rules in Avalon, and sometimes harsher ones on Earth. The threat of intervention was very real, all thanks to the device and a single Augment.

An Augment named Breach could create spatial portals, and she was cloned and copied into the ACD, the Augment Clone Device, allowing them to have the ability to instantly travel anywhere in the world.

They weren't perfect and couldn't copy a power that required focus or subtle direction. Charles's telepathy couldn't be copied, and neither could Jean's telekinesis, but Erik's magnetic interference was generated by the device and Breach's portals were suitable for cloning. While brilliant the devices had several drawbacks, but Peter saw the potential of being able to copy even a tenth of the powers some Augments possessed.

Which was why the technology was being kept on Avalon, and not being discussed with the general Augment population. There was no point in spreading the word of technology only a few could replicate anyway. Most only knew that Forge, a brilliant technopathic Augment, had created them and they were being used for travel between Earth and Avalon.

On Earth, the movement to allow Augments free movement was growing, but a small selection of countries required Augments who chose dual citizenship to wear not only an identifier but a power dampner as well.

"Not that it makes much difference, While your design is brilliant it doesn't always work."

Peter laughed and shook his head, "Because it requires technopathic powers to build, and a little Symbiote assistance. I wanted a neural bridging system that was difficult to copy, and impossible to steal." Peter shrugged, "Your Augment friend should have known that."

"Forge was aware, and he has been successful most of the time, we just a little help in finishing a design of our own. Avalon might be making waves, but the international community is still up in arms about what we are doing here. And a lot of it boils down to, 'You can't steal the moon',"

Peter snorted and chuckled, "And I bet you just said, 'well, come and take it back then' and let them stew. But sure, uh. You need to deal with Pepper. I was barred from making business decisions, so uh."

Charles just smiled, "of course. We have our own legal system in place as well. Miss Potts is well known, and I'm glad you finally have someone with a sensible head on their shoulders in your court. You weren't exactly the most responsible person Peter."

Peter shrugged, "so I've been told."

"Well, with age comes wisdom, and I'm sure one day you'll get there," Charles said with a small grin and Peter laughed. "Onto a more serious matter though. Pietro." and Peter did not fail to notice Erik clenching his fist.

"When the Sentinels attacked, Pietro was hurt, and while Forge tells us your CLS is brilliant, he just can't get it to work. Pietro has already destroyed three trying to walk."

Peter poked at the fresh vegetable medley. And thinking, "His power," Peter tapped a finger on the table, "If he generates a bioelectric field to stop the inertia from tearing his skin off then it needs to cover the CLS as well. Even at normal speeds, the field must keep him from shooting off like a rocket, and it's destroying the implant."

Erik looked over at Charles, who shrugged,

Peter speared a piece of chicken with his fork, "and yes, I can fix it."