X-Men Don't Kill

Characters: Laura Kinney Lexi Nemo Carmilla Rappaccini Kitty Pryde Ororo Munroe Logan Jean Grey
Rated: PG-13 (Language)
Summary: In a Very Special Issue, a group of X-Men lay out the team's rules of engagement for its youngest recruit.
OOC Date: March 07th, 2018
IC Date: March 07th, 2018
Where: Kitchen - Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters - Westchester

"We need to talk about Laura…"

It's a quiet refrain Jean's intermittently spread to certain ears through the mansion, spurred on by a conversation with its resident weather goddess. They are probably not the only ones to have noticed the need, given her colorful performance during her last mission with the team; by the time a mixed group of faculty members and their nosy ex-peer come together to confront the girl, it's quite possible that the sentiment's already been shared, somehow or another, between those gathered in the mansion's kitchen this evening.

Thanks to a well-practiced psychic nudge, the space is wholly uninteresting to anyone who shouldn't be in it, for now.

~Hey, Laura?~ she transmits to the littlest Logan, possibly after a brief spell spent strategizing— possibly, just, as soon as she was able to get everyone assembled, depending on how difficult of a feat it was. ~We need to talk, in the kitchen— are you busy?~ A beat.

~It's, uh, a little more 'we' than anticipated, but I promise everything is basically fine…~


Kitty is equipped with — well, nothing. But, since she's in the kitchen, she does help herself to some leftover goulash and fritoson the side. Her feet are covered in a -very- fuzzy pair of bright pink socks and by the way she is otherwise dressed, she might've just recently showered after a Danger Room session. She flops onto a seat at the large table, gives a warm smile to those that are present, along with a very supportive glance to Jean. Kitty has your back, yo.


Laura, for whom the evening had been uneventful and mostly full of calculus, stiffens at her desk, head tilting to one side. "Carm. People want to talk to me in the kitchen, for an unspecified reason, but they said it was fine. …I guess we need to go talk to them." She stands, stretching, before padding towards the kitchen, bare feet nearly silent on the floor. ~I am on my way.~


Ororo is part of the assembled group. It would be weird for her not to be, considering it was her witnessing of Laura killing various enemy soldiers that basically set this whole chain of events in motion. Still, the goddess knows that her particular brand of laying down the law may not play as well to the 'Logan + teenage hormones' crowd, so she's hanging back, hovering (not literally hovering) a little bit back and to the left of Jean's position, ready to speak up if needed and not speak up if not needed.


"And that means it probably isn't entirely fine," Carm adds a little blandly. She makes a face, comes to her feet, and spends a second straightening her clothes before following after Laura without a word. Anyone expecting Laura sans Carmilla probably isn't paying attention.


Logan gets the memo from everyone that apparently Laura is gonna get scolded. Either way, he takes a deeeep breath before he walks into the kitchen. Arms crossed and apparently extremely grouchy today. He looks around at everyone before he just waits for his kid to arrive.

Yep! Logan clan member on the chopping block today.

…isn't there always a Logan on the chopping block in on form or another? eh, either way, he waits patiently.


Lexi is leaning against a wall, her arms folded, a thoughful if serious look on her face. She's still turning over in her mind if she let Laura down as her assigned mentor/sempai. Really, she's not against slaving gang member getting done in; it's not her first choice, but she won't really cry over them. She is a bit concerned that this seems to be Laura's go to, rather than disabling at least one for questioning. Because she's practical like that.


Jean's sitting at the large, round table, facing the main threshhold between the kitchen and the rest of the mansion. She's tense after the summons, lightly drumming on the table and glancing around at the rest of the group with a carefully suppressed frown after her fingers leave her temple.

She doesn't feel particularly well-equipped for teenage hormones, gross psychological scarring, and murder either, but she finds a warm smile for Laura as the girl arrives. Standing, she offers a quick wave, lets her arms fall stiffly for a second, then clasps her hands in front of herself.

"Hey, Laura," she gently begins. "So, first off: I should probably apologize for my sloppy report handling, because I'm betting you have an inkling as to why I randomly called you into a room with a bunch of other people, right?" Stepping around the table to approach the girl, she lowers her voice a little as she adds, "It's about lethal force, and how we generally avoid using it at all costs."

Jean gets all of that out before noticing that Laura isn't alone, at which point she shifts an increasingly bemused look from the former killing machine to the— other— former— killing machine, to the other X-Men before eventually making it back to Laura.


Laura stiffens slightly as she enters, her gaze slowly sweeping across the room and everyone in it. "They deserved to die. They were capturing mutant children, either to enslave them, or kill them. They would not have shown mercy to us, I did not see the point of showing mercy to them. Nobody like the Facility should be allowed to exist."

She takes a few steps over to the fridge, and removes a few packs of cold cuts, before retrieving a bag of bread from a cabinet. …Yeah, she's making a sandwich. In the middle of an intervention.


Kitty exchanges a quick look Logan, knowing his role in this particular 'get good with Xavier' session is going to be rather important with the impressionable girl. Then, she turns towards Laura, offers quietly, "And while sometimes we -do- want to use lethal force," she conceeds, "We try very hard not to." She purses her lips together, thoughtfully and focuses her nut brown eyes on Laura, for the moment forgetting her delicious, delicious goulash. "We have to show the world that people like us, mutants and metas alike, can use our powers responsibly. We strive to show that we're - better than the sum of the equation."

Kitty glances over to Ororo, then to Lexi as well, before looking back to Laura. "Trust me, I wanted to use lethal force on those assholes, too. But all that does is give our enemies ammunition against us. Those that fight us on the battlefield, and those that fight us in the media. Defame us." She frowns at that, "It's hard, sometimes," she admits, honestly.


Lexi purses her lips, not speaking quite yet. Perhaps because she's still mulling that over in her head herself. When she was Laura's age…well…she would have been horrified. Now, seeing some of the things she has…she's not always sure that it's not the wrong approach. For some people anyway. She finally stirs as Kitty finishes to say something though. "Not that ya can't defend yerself." she points out.


Carmilla takes a deep breath and holds it for a second. She shares a glance with Jean and then clears her throat slightly. She doesn't pursue Laura for once but instead listens as other people begin to speak. "Killing everyone isn't always the solution that will produce the best results. Even we can't kill *everyone*." A beat. "I hope not at least," she adds sincerely. "At some point we have to be able to… Negotiate." She loosk to the others for confirmation. "Even with people who kind of deserve to be taken off the board."


Logan looks at Laura and frowns softly. "Kid.." he adds his gruff voice to this conference of adults, X-Men, and students alike. Either way, he continues. "Just because we can kill them, just because we hate them, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. If we start slaughtering them, then we're no better then they are." he states then, looking directly at his daughter as he…surprisingly calmly, leans against the wall. His eyes do flick to Kitty, but he makes no comments to her.


Laura listens without looking at anyone in particular, and takes a few bites of her sandwich. "We are not capturing children and taking them from their families. That already makes us better. …You may be right, though. Next time I will leave one alive for interrogation and as a link to the rest of the organization. If we had more time, I could have tracked them to their base." She takes a few steps closer to Carm, eyes flicking up to the group again. "…And they were in my head. I was not sure how much they learned while they were there. I know too much to be safe."


"This is not a suggestion, or a negotiation," Ororo notes from behind Jean. Her usual serenity is replaced by something more austere and stern. She's much more goddess than witch right now. "We are not offering you an alternative. The X-Men will not be party to murder."


Lexi stirs, looking over at Storm. "It is not murder when th' other side is tryin' to kill ya or worse." she says with a frown. "But yer skilled enough ta disable or render unconscious without killin', Laura. That's why I've run ya through settings where ya gotta take people down without the claws. I know yer trained ta take th' kill shot when ya can, but I got confidence ya can not kill too." She frowns more, looking to Jean. "…they were in her head?" she says, a bit worriedly.


Idily, Kitty's fork rolls around the bowl of goulash, she takes one, then two bites, chewing slowly, thoughtfully as other speak. And, as Laura presents her thoughts on the whole intervention thing. She gives a thoughtful twist of her lips, "Lethal force is a - last ditch tactic. It may happen. But, we should strive to seek every alternative before. You're good enough if they're shooting at you, you can dislocate their arm or break it. You can slice tendons. No one's saying you can't use your talents to be effective, to protect people, if it needs doing. But, think of it this way. If everyone thinks we're just a team of wetworks, then this mansion, and everyone in it might not be around much longer."

She looks over to Lexi, "In all our heads. They had a telepath. I had to phase, to get them out of mine." She grimaces, "Conjured up a lot of fear and terror. Tried to get us to panic, make a mistake."


"We can't just murder every pseudoreligious vigilante with shitty views on mutants we come across, Laura," Jean tacks on, eyes eventually settling on Laura after a double-take towards Carmilla. Gesturing towards the others, she continues, "We could've figured out a way to stop them for good, without just killing them all."

After a beat, she admits, "It would've taken longer, definitely," as her volume dips, "will take longer - I don't think they deployed their entire organization just to take some kids from pacified locals - but they can be punished without having to die. Or rehabbed, even: they're clearly not great people, but who knows who - or what - they're capable of being, given a chance to own their sins? Either way, though, just— just killing our way through our problems isn't what we do."

Once that's out, she glances towards Lexi to corroborate, "Yeah, there was— they— something happened, and it got real bad for a little while," softly.


"It was not murder." Laura looks up at Ororo defiantly. "It was a war they started, and one they dragged children into. Do you seriously think that they would have had a fair trial if we had turned them over to the authorities? The police only care about what those who pay them want. I learned that in San Francisco. And after I talked to Logan two years ago."

She turns towards the man in question, green eyes staring up at him. "You told me to come here. That they would /understand/ here." There's almost a pleading tone in her voice. "They made me see Kimura. I had to make sure none of them could report back, figure out who she was."


"I personally witnessed you walking among downed soldiers to stick your claws into them to verify their deaths," Ororo notes. She's both visibly unimpressed by Laura's tone, and just as visibly unafraid to speak truth to adamantium. "As I said. This is not us asking."


Lexi frowns a bit and does not necessarily look like she agreed that pseudoreligious vigilantes with shitty views on mutants don't deserve what they get, but restrains herself from saying anything. She's supposed to be setting an example for Laura, after all. And, well, stabbing downed people is a bit of a step. "…she was afraid, Ororo. From what I know of Kimura, she has reason." she says softly. "But Laura…ya had other options. Jean coulda wiped those memories from them. Kitty coulda disrupted any recordings ta make sure none survived. Killing them was th' direct, quick route, but not th' only choice ta be made. Do ya understand what we're sayin'?"


Logan looks at Laura then as he kept his arms crossed, eyes meeting with her own as she seemed to plead with him that what she did was right. He takes a deep sigh then, knowing exactly what she was going through. He did the same thing for more than 150 years before he met the Professor. Though at Ororo's cold demeanor, he looks at her and he shoots her that glare. Either way, he looks to Laura then. "I did, and they do. But this is too much, even for you Laura. You need to learn that life shouldn't be taken in such a way. that's not how we do things here. You can maim, you can wound, but do not kill unless it's for a last resort…or the bastards can heal like we can." he permits. Now, he's silent, watching them all as he leaned against the wall, eyes on his kid as he looks Laura up and down.


"Laura-" Carmilla hesitates for a moment. "You've told me before that you wanted to make things better. To be better. Part of it is-" She closes her eyes for a second. "Part of it is learning to let things go. /People/ go. Even when they've hurt us. We can't be them, and just kill and kidnap and terrorize people. Even though its haard. I just-" Then Logan is speaking and Carmilla goes completely silent. She turns to face him and watches, azure eyes intense. A hand eaches up to drag lightly through her thick green hair but for now it seems Carmilla will remain silent.


Jean casts a brief, wide-eyed glance towards Ororo before taking a quick breath and bringing her attention back to Laura. She lets the others speak - briefly peers towards Logan when he glares - and waits until the old soldier's said his piece before she adds her own:

"We don't know whether they would've gotten a fair trial or not, now. We don't know whether or not they could, or would've reported anything about this person, either… not to mention how many other children they might still have in their custody. How many guns in their armory, how many police in their pockets; killing them didn't do you, or anyone else any favors. Not really." Lexi gets a brief look after that firm, but gentle speech.

"You're part of a team, Laura. We could've figured out a better solution together."


"I think, maybe," suggests Kitty looking to Jean, Ororo, and Logan, "What we need is some very carefully planned Danger Room sessions. To help her through times when people do take advantage of her fear. It's - understandable why in that moment at least, she acted like she did." Sensible Kitty, as always. She looks to the girl whom it might seem everyone is 'ganging up on', and suggests, "But, part of being an X-man, a mutant, and, a person is learning from your mistakes. And what happened there, while we don't like it anymore than you do, well, it could've been handled better. Should have. That's all. We wanted to pull this together to help you. Not yell at you." And that's true enough. She might be playing Good Cop to Ororo's Bad Cop? Then again, Kitty does try to see the best out of any situation she can. She exhales, "So, I think some practice sessions in the Danger Room would help all of us. You need to learn how to work with us, and we with you. Like Jean said, we're a team." She offers Laura a smile.


Laura places the sandwich plate on the table, retreating to Carm again and pressing against her roommate's side. "I did not ask to be a hero. or an X-Man. There were no rules of engagement in the briefing. I executed the mission I was given. I… I could not let them hurt anyone else." She shrinks a bit more, voice becoming more monotone, gaze squarely on the floor tiles.


"Then let us establish a rule of engagement — for all of us at Xavier's, and for all future conflicts." Ororo's blue eyes, with their cat-slit pupils, cast around the room. "We do not kill. I can count on one hand the number of times when the X-Men have had to resort to that." (Ororo would name examples, but who knows if they'd be canon! —Smilin' Stan) "The individual goals of everyone here vary, but the goal of Xavier's — the dream that Charles Xavier had, upon which all of this was built — is to bring about harmony between mutants and humans. To overcome hate, and fear. That is why we do not kill. That is why this is not a 'grey area.'" Ororo pauses half a beat. "For ANYONE who represents Xavier's."


Lexi folds her arms a bit, her gold eyes glinting. "So we're…training students with th' main team now? Graduatin' Laura ta that level?" she asks uncertainly. "I mean…Carmilla, Laura, they're both experienced…" she admits, glancing at the pair. "Are they ready for that?"


Logan just remains silent for now. Looking around even as Ororo seems to be in no mood for any kind of games today. Logan looks over at Jean en as she shoots him a little side-glare of her own. buuuut Logan does't seem to be in the mood for that either. He looks two seconds away from storming out….but then again, he kinda always looks like that.


Jean meets the wind-rider's look and lets her eyes linger for a while after it passes.

"If you want to use your abilities to make things better," she gently offers after firm nod of assent, "then Kitty's right: we can show you how to do it without compromising what we're all working for." After a beat spent approaching the downcast girl, she softly continues, "We should've, before ever taking you into the field," contrition seeping into her voice. "If you don't want that, then that's fine too: nobody's going to force you to fight for your supper. But whatever you do decide, we just… we can't allow someone under our roof - a student, no less - to kill. It's not what we're about."

Once she's within arm's reach, they extend so she can risk pulling the designer assassin into a gentle embrace.

"You're alright," she quietly assures, "And we can help you be even better. I promise."


Laura presses a little closer into Carm's side, stiffening as Jean approaches. The hug is… awkward, none of the tension leaving the teen's body. "…They programmed me. Made me into a predator, so… I can't shut that part off. It is always there, always planning. Even… Even with people I are about." Her hand reaches out, finding Carm's and squeezing tightly.


"We can help with that. Stuff like that can be undone. Or at least weakened. Just takes some time an' care." Lexi says softly. "Ya got plenty of people here who've had to overcome stuff like that. They're there for ya ta lean on."


"One of them's wishing he was literally anywhere else right now," Jean quietly notes after stepping back from that awkward semi-hug. A lingering glance is cast towards Logan before she returns to his spawn.


"That's part of being at Xavier's, too," says Kitty with a warm smile, still, targeted at Laura. She gets up after finishing her bowl of food, and walks over to Logan, and kiss Mr. Grumpy Pants on the cheek. "We're always there for each other. And if Logan can play nice, anybody can," she says, half-teasing Logan, but mostely seriously at Laura. Then, as if it made all the sense in the world she says, "They did program you. But, you're not with them anymore. You made your own choices. You ran away. You decided to come here, stay. Sounds like you're on your way to beating that program. And, yes. We can help with that. I'll work with Jean and Ororo to code up some programs for you in the meantime, just some basic stuff to start out with. We'll take it slow. And, adapt from there. If you want." Clearly, that particular ball is all in Laura's court.


"That was… different. I am not sure I can trust myself. If anyone ever smuggled trigger scent into the school…"She trails off again, hugging herself tightly.


Lexi ums. "…maybe we can help ya with this trigger scent thing though. I mean. See if it's somethin' that's permanent or somethin' they just…trained ya inta doing? Jean's helped people with all sorts of things that have been done ta their heads." she suggests, looking over at the redhead in question. "Like Kitty says, it's programmin', an' programmin' can be overriden with some work."


Logan turns his head slowly to Jean. Enhanced hearing means he can easily catch what she says, eyes directly on Jean though it's clear there may be some general irritation with her naturally. Either way, anotehr conversation for another time. Regardless, it's Kitty that stops him from leaving on that second. giving her a soft smile as he looks at his daughter. While it wasn't necessarily true that he wanted to be anywhere but there, he certainly didn't want to be in -this- particular situation. Either way, he keeps his trap shut for now.


"I've been there too," Jean quietly offers as her eyes come back to Laura. "Contemplating what I'm capable of and what could happen if…"

Her head briskly shakes after she trails for a moment. Following a glance towards Carmilla, she sets a firm hand on Laura's shoulder and promises, "Forget me: the Professor's one of the most powerful telepaths on the planet. He can definitely help you— I know he helped Logan, right…?" Another glance is cast towards the elder predator, green eyes carefully avoiding blue ones.

"Look, the point is, whatever you wanna do, we have your back… as long as it's not lethal."


"I… I do not make guarantees if someone is about to kill a friend. I will try, but I am not losing anyone else. No matter what." Laura's brows furrow in determination, her eyes lifting again to meet Jean's. "If I am ever out of control… Carm knows what to do. She can easily disable me."

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