The Calm Before the Storm: Ch 1 Disclaimer: The X-Men belong to Marvel, the Coda to Wildstorm, and the story to me. Early morning, New York City... A pale, graceful hand reached toward a piece on the Baroque chessboard... hesitating only a moment. To the layman, chess is a dry, dull, academic game--but for those who understand its intricacies, it's a game full of conflict, subterfuge and conflict. The pale hand moved one piece, and removed another as the clear bell-like voice rang in triumph, "King takes Queen...check! Your knight's head is on the block, luv. I've finally found a chink in that resolute armor of yours--" The striking features of Elisabeth, the Duchess of Avalon, became more radiant as the first rays of the sun struck her deep violet hair and the diamond and emerald necklace and earrings she habitually wore. Her opponent sucked in his breath at the dazzling sight before him. Otherworldly was an accurate description to her other-dimensional origins, but it barely sufficed to describe the woman before him, clad in a vintage portrait collared dress of emerald green silk, her skin as pale as the marble columns behind her... she might have been a statue come to life. She smiled again as she contemplated the chess piece representing the white queen. Thinking how ironic it was, that she, heir to the late Black Bishop, and psychic cohabitor with the Club's White Queen, Emma Frost..that she was potentially the Black Queen. It *was* ironic, that she, who could never garner her mother's approval, was now in the position her mother had desired most... "...You must be losing your touch," she continued, giving her opponent a wry, sideways glance over her cup of tea, "to place yourself in such jeopardy!" A smooth tenor retorted, "My dear Lady Avalon, your optimism does you credit..." He thanked the servant who refreshed their pot of tea and brought yet another plate of ham and Swiss croissants, fresh from the oven. Dark blue eyes met amethyst as he jauntily toasted her jibe, "..but alas, it's completely unfounded. A players true skill lies in a capacity for patience and sacrifice--the ability to lose a prized piece in the short term, to achieve a greater long term goal. A maxim for life if there ever was one...." Shinobi Shaw smoothed his darker blue hair out of his face and winked at Liz. She'd caught him off-guard and early this day, so he was still in his black velvet robe, his hair still damp. But he didn't mind a visitor so lovely, especially if that visitor was the closest thing he'd ever come to a "best friend"... For her part, Liz had kicked off her pumps under the Louis Quince table and lazily lounged one leg over the arm of the chair, grateful for the full circle skirt of her dress. She took a bite of the steaming croissant that had been left at hand for her. Shaw never skimped on anything--and neither did his son! "Spare me the lecture, Shee," she groaned good-naturedly, "It's too early. Just get it over with...." His long fingers toyed with his teacup as he considered his next move... White king moved one square on the black and white board, then the Fey telepath blocked with her black bishop. And then he made his last gambit... "Very well, Liz, if that's the way you want it, knight takes bishop--check and mate!" he replied, gloating for a moment...until she kicked him under the table, eyes gleaming with friendly malice. Shinobi backed up, rubbing his shin and flashing her an "I'm going to get you for this" look. He arose and began to pace the marble parquetry that mimicked the pattern of their chess board. Liz followed him, watching the sun rise over the Manhattan skyline and enjoying the beautiful array of flowers in his arboretum, "So much for chess...but how goes our other game? Is it faring as well?" He plucked a rose and inhaled it's heady, sweet scent, "Oh, it's coming along fine... In fact, it should be blossoming anytime now...." He handed the rose to Liz and pulled her into a hug, smoothing her amethyst hair, "I know you're worried...for Emma and for Redd. But that bastard can't track you with his gadgets, so chin up, luv. We all have our parts to play..." "I know, Shee," she replied, burying her face in the black velvet, being careful not to hug him too hard. She was physically much stronger now...and had to take care with those less...durable...than herself, "I'm just so frustrated. I can't openly *do* anything..yet. How could he have done that? Especially to people who were like his own children?" "How could Sebastian have done what he did to Mum?" the young Amerasian replied softly against her dark hair, "How could he have done to me what he did? Some times, there's just no answer, Liz, just more questions...." She let him hold her for a while, and then she gave him a kiss on the cheek, whispering, "Thanks, Shee...I needed that... I've got to get back before "that bastard" misses me." And with that, the Otherworld psychic vanished into thin air... The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning... She reappeared along the lake shore, the private beach near the boathouse she currently called "home", carrying her pumps in her hand, as though she was just going for a morning walk. She scanned the house, not finding many early birds, she turned her telepathic sensitivities to the grounds... High above the estate, she sensed Storm soaring on the morning breezes, knowing it wasn't part of the Egyptian's daily exercise regime. It was pleasure, pure and simple...a morning breeze singing in the woman's ears, caressing her silver white hair, cooling the sweat on her back... Flying among the clouds meant she was no longer Ororo, no longer Storm, the leader of the X-men...she is merely a force of nature. Liz watched the woman with her Farsight, noting the rare sense of freedom the other woman had during these stolen moments when she was a leaf buoyed on the wind of creation...but one that must inevitably fall to earth. Liz knew that "cloudwalking" had been part of Ororo's private meditation ritual every morning since she'd known her...a physical mantra centring her body and mind, attuning it to the demands of the day ahead. She watched as the Egyptian woman headed into the house, shaking her head sadly at the unwitting "slavery" her erstwhile friend was kept in... The kitchen: Ororo noticed that someone had left the television on CNN, [--uprising between rebel factions and the Russian occupation force have escalated into bloody, full scale civil war....Refugees are already fleeing into neighboring countries. Red Cross and Red Crescent sources fear outbreaks of cholera and typhoid are likely...] Ororo looked at the child, standing there, petrified of the tank hurtling at him, too afraid to move...it reminded her of someone... that she couldn't quite remember. A voice called out, "Say, Storm? You okay?" She stared at the bubble headed bleach-blonde announcing another school shooting in Amarillo, shaking her head, "Not really. My mood just crash-landed with the news about *another* jet going down...another kid going psycho at school..." "That's what's got you down?" the blue skinned mutant asked, "Anything I can help with?" "Not unless you can set the world right over night, Warren.." she replied tiredly. He pulled a box out from behind him, "Hmm... Well, you've got a surprise package left by some courier service...." She reached out and took the package from him, wondering who it could be from, undoing the plain brown wrapper to get to a "gift box" with a label for St. Michael's Emporium and then she found the card nestled under the lid, opening the box. Warren spied over her shoulder, "You got a secret admirer I don't know about?" She glowered at him for a moment, "Afraid not... This is from Shinobi Shaw. He must be mellowing, he's turning into a sheep in wolf's clothing..." Ororo shivered unexpectedly, feeling a tingle of excitement run down her spine, and a prospect of sensual delight as her fingers caressed the soft leather of the bustier and miniskirt that were in the box...and to the pair of boots with stiletto heels. She glanced at the gift card, /Windrider...Dinner at 8 pm. You know where to find me. Saved you the trouble of shopping. Hope it is to your taste. Yours, S.S./ Warren looked at her worriedly, shaking his blonde head, "You're not going... are you? He pulled a similar stunt on Gambit and Psykeye!" "Oh, get real, Warren," she retorted, "It's thoughtful of you to be concerned over my welfare, but I can look.. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She dropped the box, having gouged her finger on a pin, quickly getting the blood away from the black leather, as the winged mutant's hand brushed her shoulder, she flinched. "Are you okay?" he asked trying not to sound too concerned. "Yes, just a stray pin, I am afraid." she informed him, "And Warren, I do appreciate the concern, but it's not needed...I really should get some antiseptic for this...." She quickly picked up the box with her other hand and headed upstairs, shaking her long silver hair out of her eyes, She reached the second floor where Jubilee was pounding on the door to one of the bathrooms, "I know yer in there, "Bones" McCoy! NO one else sings Sinatra in the tub! 'Cept the Prof..it's MY turn next..an' clean all yer yak fuzz outta the drain when y'r done!" she thought as she headed past the cantankerous teen, who immediately turned to her for help, "Hey, Stormer, any idea how I can the Hankster outta there, shorta using dyno-mite?" The regal Egyptian looked down at the Amerasian girl, "Do not bother me, Jubilee." The girl stared after her, shaking her head, feeling even more like an orphaned kid than usual, hiding her hurt with snappy banter, "Excusee Moi, I'm, like, shuuuure... "who got outta bed on the wrong side today," anyway, gees...." Down by the boathouse, Liz settled into a comfortable chair with her laptop, sipping a sweet tea with a dash of Scotch to ease her nerves. She emailed her friend with the latest "gossip" about local society, having used her old SHIELD training in espionage to get an email through the estate's security with out a single person the wiser... Emma's mindvoice gently interrupted her thoughts, <> <> she replied, closing up the laptop and vanishing back inside her "domain" to attend to the necessities of life with two "coma patients" in the other upstairs bedroom...