Ask Professor X & the New X-Men

[Zorya]

The cyanogen-tinged world of Celegia loomed before Zorya, an unforgiving and otherworldly testament to the vast diversity of the galaxy. Donning their exosuits, Zorya and O'bog stood on the precipice of their spacecraft, the ceaseless tumult of Celegia's oceans crashing against the land beneath them. A dull hum of anticipation buzzed beneath Zorya's sternum, unfurling like a black nebula into the reaches of her consciousness.

"Ah, would ya look at the view, lady?" O'bog, her impish Ximpi proxy, fluttered around her head, his mischief momentarily subdued by the grandiosity of the alien landscape.

"Must be a proper paradise for these blitherin' brain-balloons!" he cackled, his mischievous humor undiminished by the somber mission. Zorya, as was her way, remained silent, her unreadable gaze reflecting the alien seascape.

For her, the journey to Celegia was not a whimsical adventure but a crucial test of her expanding abilities. The Celegians were telepathic prodigies, their minds a convoluted labyrinth of intellect and wisdom, far different from the simple, predictable patterns of O'bog's mind that she had grown accustomed to manipulating.

As she touched down on the alien soil, her senses tingled with the surge of alien thought patterns washing over her. It was a disorienting symphony of mind voices, interwoven with the salty tang of the cyanogen-laden air that clung to her exosuit. It prickled at her senses, urging her forward.

With a determined glint in her eyes and a steadfast gait, she ventured further into the unknown, the echoes of her own power reverberating through her mind.

"Aye, onward we go!" O'bog announced, his voice ringing with a mix of defiance and eager anticipation. Even in the face of this peculiar challenge, Zorya remained unyielding, her resolve hardened like the hilt of a Sith's lightsaber.

Her ambition, as boundless as the galaxy, propelled her forward on her quest for power and control. Yet, beneath the steely determination, there lingered a hint of vulnerability, an echo of fear at the thought of treading uncharted territories of the mind.

@Marianne

 

[Caeli Veridia]

Caeli Veridia, her heart brimming with both apprehension and curiosity, stepped off her shuttle onto the alien landscape of Celegia. Her role as a Jedi goodwill ambassador was taking her places she'd never imagined, offering her the chance to glimpse the diverse tapestry of the cosmos.

The vista was startlingly alien. A yellow haze hung in the atmosphere, making her feel as if she were peering through the veil of a lucid dream. She could taste the tang of the cyanogen-rich air seeping through her exosuit's filters, a sobering reminder of the planet's inhospitable nature to her human physiology.

Stepping out of the shuttle hangar, the cityscape of the Celegians unfolded before her eyes. It was a symphony of strange architecture, of floating structures that seemed to mimic the creatures' own method of locomotion. It was an ecosystem engineered to the needs and aesthetics of a species far different from her own.

The first Celegians she encountered were a visual paradox, an intelligent species that looked more like floating sea creatures than traditional sentient beings. Their flesh, soft and undulating, bore a delicate, dreamlike quality, their large tentacles drifting in unseen currents. Caeli felt a twinge of astonishment, her analytical mind keen to understand the mechanics of their existence.

Their telepathic communication was a fascinating peculiarity, an exchange of thoughts unencumbered by the restraints of language. It was daunting, too, for she was unfamiliar with this manner of interaction.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

Zorya found herself standing before her first Celegian. The creature bobbed in the air, its membranous flesh pulsating in a rhythm that echoed the alien world's heart. The Celegian's form, a peculiar amalgamation of intellect and mystery, challenged the understanding of conventional lifeforms.

Silent as a moonlit graveyard, Zorya conveyed her thoughts through the mischievous voice of O'bog, the garrulous Ximpi that fluttered around her like an animated shadow. "Oy, ya luminous brain-bag!" he jeered, mimicking her intentions with his roguish charm, "Let's have a parley, shall we?"

The Celegian responded, its telepathic communications a maelstrom of alien thought, as strange and wondrous as the sea of cyanogen that stretched out beneath them. It regarded Zorya with a gaze that held an undercurrent of amusement, clearly seeing her as a foreign entity in its ethereal realm.

Zorya's ego was not immune to offense, and this slight triggered a flash of indignation that flared brighter within her than a binary star. Through O'bog, she growled, "Oi, you! Cut the slack, ye floatin' jellyfish. I ain't a merry guest here for yer amusement!"

Challenging the creature with her indomitable will, she found her telepathic prowess a potent weapon. The Celegian's mental defenses, though complex and alien, were not insurmountable. Like a black hole consuming a star, her mind's influence engulfed the Celegian's consciousness, subduing its mirthful demeanor.

With her mental victory secured, she compelled the subdued Celegian to act as her guide. "Now, ye gobby creature," O'bog chortled, channeling Zorya's silent command, "Best ye show us yer homestead. We've a thirst for the lay of the land, and yer the brain-bucket to quench it!"

@Marianne

 

[Caeli Veridia]

With every step, Caeli's understanding of Celegian civilization deepened. She wandered through the floating city, her keen eyes absorbing the vivid details of the alien architecture, her mind contemplating the impressive intellect that had conceived it.

Suddenly, Caeli collided with another figure, a fellow human woman encased in an exosuit, being escorted by a Celegian. The unexpected contact disrupted Caeli's train of thought.

Caught off guard, she stepped back, her Jedi training prompting her to quickly regain her composure. Her eyes met those of the stranger, their mutual human presence a refreshing, yet perplexing, connection in this sea of alien minds.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Caeli blurted, her words echoing around her helmet, momentarily breaking the eerie silence that had ensued. She extended a gloved hand, a gesture of goodwill towards the woman. "I'm Caeli Veridia, a Jedi Padawan. I didn't expect to encounter another human here on Celegia."

She wondered what circumstances had brought this other human to such a remote and inhospitable planet. But it was not her place to pry, she reminded herself, merely to learn and to aid. The presence of another human on this strange world, however, brought forth a feeling of kinship, a shared bond amidst the otherworldly experiences they were undergoing.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

A slight jostle broke Zorya's trance-like focus, her meditative connection with the Celegian guide momentarily ruptured. It was a tiny impact, like a pebble hitting a mountain, yet it disrupted her. She turned, her impassive gaze landing on a petite young girl in an exosuit.

O'bog, ever the dutiful sentinel, whirled around Zorya, his temper flaring up like a mini supernova. "What's this? Knockin' into us, are ye?" His outburst echoed Zorya's silent indignation, amplifying it with his bombastic audacity.

But Zorya, with her Sith Champion's aplomb, recovered quickly. As the girl introduced herself as a Jedi Padawan, Zorya's mind began to churn. A Jedi on Celegia? Why? And was the Padawan alone or accompanied by her master? Uncertainty, like a shadow creeping at the edges of a sunlit day, began to form within her.

Yet, within the veils of uncertainty, Zorya sensed an opportunity. Jedi were renowned for their diplomatic access. Her Sith status might unlock doors otherwise closed to her. It was a tantalizing prospect, and she resolved to seize it.

She projected her thoughts to the Ximpi, asking him to make our introductions, but leave out their affiliations.

With a flamboyant bow that was almost a parody of courtly manners, O'bog responded to the Padawan's introduction. "My apologies for the wee bump, lass. We're honored to meet a Jedi like yourself. I am O'bog, an 'umble messenger, and this is my compatriot, Zorya." He gestured grandly towards Zorya, her regal silence a stark contrast to his playful demeanor.

He continued in his overly grandiose tone, "Pray, what brings a Jedi to a place like Celegia?" His question, though laden with feigned innocence, was as sharp as a vibroblade. It was a probing inquiry into the Jedi's motives, masked in the guise of polite conversation.

@Marianne