Emma was sitting at her desk with the lights off. Her company had taken quite a hit and her mind was in turmoil. This was not a good thing and she really didn't want to force her companies to do what she wanted them to do, but she didn't really have a choice. Her head was in her hands and she was muttering ideas to herself. She didn't notice Sean standing near the door, watching her. He was barely breathing, just watching. Finally, she raised her head and looked back at him.

"Sean. How long have you been standing there?" she asked, looking wiped.

"A bit. Wha's the matter the, luv?" he asked, coming to kneel next to her chair. He was usually so separated from the rest, she always had felt that attraction. She wouldn't invade his privacy to find out if he felt the same way. The funny part was, that's exactly how he felt every time he came into her office and she wasn't there.

"Ah, not much, just business problems," she said, a smile threatening the corners of her mouth. He was so cute when he was being helpful. He reached out and gave her a small hug. She felt his hand on her back and enjoyed it. They didn't notice themselves being surrounded by a white light until it was so bright it blinded them. Emma stood, knocking the chair backwards and Sean was at her side in a minute.

"What th' hell. . ." he started to say but didn't get to finish.

***

Scott and Drake eventually got one room, Charles and Warren another, and a third went to the girls. They left the last two for Emma and Sean. When they arrived, they were shown their rooms and were given an explanation for everything. Before long, they were all relaxing in their rooms. All except Lee. She had gotten out of her room and was roaming the halls before long. Eventually, Oiseux found her.

"You are Lee, correct?" Oiseux asked her. Lee nodded. They were walking through the ship, Lee gaping at all the technological wonders. "I take it you like our ship," she added with amusement. No one had ever been so enthralled with something as everyday as the ship. Lee turned her head to Oiseux.

"You don't have any idea what I'd do for things like these," she said, awe in her voice. Oiseux smiled at the younger woman.

"I would be more than happy to send you back to your planet with some, if you would like," Oiseux said. The girl was so. . . different from the stern Shi'ar. Perhaps she deserved a reward for just being so energetic and happy. *I don't think I was ever like this,* Oiseux thought to herself.

"Really?! Wow!" Lee said , brushing her fingers on a panel as they passed it. "I don't mean to be a bother. . ." she started. Oiseux smiled and made the same whistling sound Oracle had made. "Is it OK if I, like, had some of these things in my room so I could, like, look at it?" she asked, timidly. Oiseux was still smiling, only it broadened a bit.

"By the time you get back to your room, it will be waiting for you," Oiseux said. Lee smiled a grin so large that Oiseux was momentarily worried that her face would break. Lee turned and raced back the way she had come. This was the beginning of a friendship between an alien empress and a mall rat from SoCal that would last across galaxies and universes, it would help both through tough times ahead.

***

"Alright, where are you?!" Charles harshly whispered into the silence of their dead end-corridor. A section of the wall shimmered and Lilandra stepped out from what looked like a series of tunnels behind the walls. She was still in armor but she had weapons strapped all over her.

"I don't have much time, human," she started. Charles cut her off.

"I have a name," he said coolly. She frowned but continued.

"I need an answer, Charles ," she said, emphasizing the name. "I need it now: are you with me or not?" He looked at her.

"I need details. Why are you fighting, who's winning, for how long yadda yadda yadda," he said, crossing his arms. She frowned again and motioned him to follow her. They stepped into the walls, just in time to miss Jean coming out of the room. He could see her through the projection of a wall. Lilandra was standing next to him, and he could smell her. Her scent was a mixture of metal and flowers. Jean's face didn't hold the wonder it once had. He saw Scott coming out of his door and he saw them see each other. Jean's eyes lit up and she moved closer to Scott. Scott's face, usually so tense and sad, got a little light added to it. Charles turned to Lilandra.

"Well? Let's go," he said neutrally. She smiled her alien smile and they began to walk through the dark, metallic tunnels. The tunnels were cold and Lilandra's eyes kept wandering towards him. Finally they reached their destination.

It was (guess what?) a dark room, just as cold as it was outside it. The room was covered in screens and had a table with chairs around it in the center of the room. Lilandra motioned him to sit in one of the chairs. He did so and looked up at her expectantly. She tapped a few buttons and a 3D image of herself and Oiseux materialized in the center of the table. They were children, Oiseux older but still very young. They were dressed in royal robes, as far as Charles could tell. He was no judge of Shi'ar fashions.

"When I was very little, I was told that I was a princess," Lilandra began and the images began to move as she spoke. An alien materialized next to the girls. Charles could only assume that it was a parent or some relative. "My brother was the ruler of the galaxy then. He was cruel and taught Oiseux to be like him. She was his chosen heir because, even though I was more fit, I was not cruel enough. He was much older than us both and so was ruler. Than he left on a quest for a M'Krann Crystal, a thing of legend told to little Shi'ar. He never returned and Oiseux assumed the throne. She was just as cruel and heartless as our brother," Lilandra paused to look straight into Charles' face. "I rebelled against her when she ordered me to take charge of a murder of the world called D'Bari. That is why I am the former sister of the Majstrix Empress of the Shi'ar. I'm sure she will tell you differently tomorrow. After you have talked with her, I will come for your answer again." The images that had illustrated her story beeped out of existence. The screens around them hummed into action. A detailed map appeared and began to shift and twist as Lilandra moved a small device in her hands.

"This is where she will send you. It is called N'Atabam. There will be armed guards everywhere which you will have to fight. Then, behind the guards, which I am sure you will defeat, there are sets of sensor lasers that will make the molecules in your bodies explode simultaneously if it detects you. To avoid this, you must crawl belly down on the ground for fifteen meters. Beyond that, there are six walls of electrical fences with cameras attached. You will need to squeeze through the narrow openings and leap across the holes in the ground. Then you will be in a court yard where there are more armed guards. Inside the house that is protected by a hologram of a empty space, she will tell you that I am there. I will not be of course," Lilandra told him, the map moving towards the spots she specified.

"So it was dealing with you that Oiseux needed out help with?" Charles asked, a little surprised.

"Yes and the fact that you and the red-haired one are very powerful. The red-haired one," she started to say but Charles interrupted.

"Jean," he said.

"Has such a great potential," Lilandra continued after giving him a look, "That Oiseux sees it necessary to see if she can handle the amount of power nature has given her. She didn't even notice your potential, since I stole the scans."

"MY potential?" Charles asked, again confused.

"Yes your potential. It was very clever how you've hidden it," she said, sitting across from him.

"Hidden what?" he was still confused.

"Using your powers to control Jean Grey's emotions! It's genius! All computers pick you up as second best because you are using so much of your power to keep such a powerful young woman under your control," she said smiling a malicious smile, "Pure genius."

"I never. . ." Charles began, but stopped himself. Maybe Lilandra was right. Maybe that was why he could almost feel that Jean and Scott belonged together. Maybe that was what had torn Scott and his friendship apart. She was right. "How do I stop?" he asked finally.

"You just have to stop thinking of her as loving you. She doesn’t, you know that," Lilandra said frankly, and her honest words cut like knives. Jean had never loved him. He loved her, she didn’t love him. Those words kept repeating themselves in his head like a mantra until he finally felt their truth. And that hurt even more. For Jean, it was like a blindfold was being lifted. He could feel Jean being released. He could feel her feelings for Scott pouring out of an open wound he had created in himself. Lilandra grinned.

"Are you on my side?" she asked and he nodded. What reason was there to be on the other? Nothing for him there. *It’s all here. Everything I have left is locked up in this dreary room, with this insane woman. I can deal with that,* he thought. Then he smiled back at Lilandra.

***

Monet poked at the machine. Lee stood behind her and rolled her eyes.

"Move your fingers up for hot, down for cold," Lee said, showing her again. "It’s basically the same as our showers." Monet moved her fingers again. This time, water spurted out of a hole in the ceiling that she hadn’t seen before and soaked her clothes.

"Thanks, Lee. Thanks a bunch," she said sarcastically. Lee desperately tried not to laugh. She didn’t succeed.

"Ha ha ha HA HA HA!" Lee screamed, holding her sides. Monet stuck her tongue out.

"Wow, I can, like, feel so much maturity in here," Jean said, coming through one of those weird Star Trek-ish doors. She was smiling and started giggling when both girls turned and stuck their tongues out at her. That was right before Monet stuck Lee’s head under the small water spurt.

Before long, a full fledged water fight had broken out. A group of teen aged girls were having a water fight in deep space aboard a star cruiser, with no idea how far away Earth was.

***

Sean Cassidy was not a man who usually defined the word "happy." He was grumpy and down-to-earth most of the time. Maybe it was the fact that Earth was no where nearby, but he felt happy. He felt free.

"Here’s the schematics I received from Oiseux of this starship," he said, handing them to Emma. "If you look at the second and third levels, there seems to be a training room of enormous size." She nodded.

"Where are you going with this, Sean?" she asked.

"I just can’t help thinking that the kids could use a little training while we’re here," he said, smiling his slight smile a little sheepishly. Emma walked over to behind the chair he was sitting in and gave him a back rub.

"What’s this for?" he asked, not at all complaining.

"If you’re thinking of training at a time like this, you need it," she answered.

"I believe I would have trained those kids intae an early grave, if it hadn’t been fer ye," he said smiling up at her. Her long almost white hair brushed up against his face. She tucked the hair behind her ear. Small motions, but just the kind that made her so graceful. Almost like a queen. A white queen. She leaned closer to him, centimeter by centimeter. He could feel her breath on his cheek. They were a few inches away from each other.

"If you really think they need the training, Sean. . ."Emma said in a whisper, jerking her face back from his. What had she been thinking?!

The door beeped. Both teachers stared at it. It opened.

"When the door makes that sound, you say ‘Come in,’" Oiseux said, stepping inside.

"Aye, and’ we’ll remember that," Sean said. "What did ye want, Oiseux?"

"I’m just making sure there isn’t anything else I can do for my guests before you retire," she said amiably. The two headmasters glanced at each other dubiously. She smiled at them before continuing. "Aaaaaaand," she said, prolonging the a, "I’ve noticed none of you are sleeping, so I’m inviting you to a Shi’ar. . .what’s your word?. . .party."

"A party?" Emma asked.

"A party?" Sean repeated, sounding just like a parrot. Emma stifled a giggle.

"Shi’ar can have a good time too, you know," Oiseux said. "And we’d like to exchange our party customs. We could learn from each other."

"Aye, I’ll get the students," Sean said. He left to do so. Oiseux turned to leave as well, but Emma stepped in front of her.

"Not that I want to be a pain," she started but Oiseux did that whistle so she continued, "But, we all, not you, look really out of place here. We look like real aliens so could you possibly get us some clothes of your people’s so we fit in a little more?" Oiseux grinned.

"Watch," she commanded as she strode over to panel in the wall. She turned as if she was about to address the wall. "The humans would like festival clothes styled after Shi’ar latest fashions. Please make one for each of them." After she had finished speaking, a pile of clothes lay at her feet.

*Please confirm* a computer voice stated in an almost questioning voice. Oiseux confirmed. Before long, she was leading the whole group, clad in Shi’ar, towards a large room with loud tinkling sounds booming out of it.

"Um, is that music we hear now?" Monet asked. She carried next to her, in a small Sam Goody bag, CD’s she had bought right before being kidnapped.

"Yes, come in!" Oracle said, coming out of the doors. Her purple feathers had been arranged in a way that it looked like her whole head was about to take flight. Really an amazing feat, actually. They followed her and her flightful (pardon the shameless, funniless joke there) hair into the huge room. It looked almost like an Earth party. Almost being the key word there. The food was still moving and the dance floor went floors above them. The dancing itself was a beautiful arrangement of sliding people, skipping into patterns.

"I dunno," Warren started to say but stopped when Oiseux approached him.

"Well, Earth child. You are the most alike to our people out of your whole group. Perhaps it will be easier for you to grasp our dances," she said extending her hand, "May I have this dance?" He took her hand but started talking.

"I still dunno, I’m not even good at Earth dancing," he said as he was swept away from the others. Lee shrugged.

"Me?" she said, "I’m not that big on dancing. I’d rather talk to the dinner." She turned to go, but Drake gabbed her arm.

"Uh-uh, Lee. You’re not getting out of this one," he said grinning, "We’re gonna dance." She half-heartedly tried to resist, not really wanting to get out of it, and liking every minute of it. Oracle and Gladiator tried to show them how to do the dance they called "Na’tryi" but Lee insisted it made her look foolish. Monet convinced Scott to at least watch other people dance and they ended up dancing. Jean left in search of Charles.

"I could have sworn he was here earlier," she muttered to herself as she left the party. She had to talk to him about these feelings she had started feeling for Scott and not for Charles anymore. She had to get it out of her system. Monet noticed her leaving out of the corner of her eye but took no note of it. She was too busy concentrating on the intricate moves and slides the Shi’ar combined to make a dance that slipped and slid through alien notes and flew on wings pasted down by all the feelings that flit through a person’s head during a single moment in twisted and complicated lives. It was not easy. To her credit, though, Scott was doing even worse.

"What are they doing now?" he complained as the notes shifted and the Shi’ar began to float and flit a different way. He also noticed that Warren seemed to have a natural talent for it and was dancing up a storm with Oiseux. Monet laughed at him.

"They’re having fun, something you need a little practice in," she said happily. She was having a good time.

"It would be so comforting, though, to hear Eagle Eye Cherry or something play. Just for a moment," he complained again, feeling desperately sorry for himself.

"Oh, stop it," she said in mock annoyance. She felt a person bump into her back and turned to apologize, only to find Lee.

"Quick, did you buy any CD’s when we were in the CD store right before we got. . .taken or whatever?" Lee asked. Monet nodded.

"Yeah, I bought the Madonna and the Jewel CD’s. Why?" she asked, genuinely confused. "It’s not like you’re going to find a CD player here."

"Uh uh, that’s where you’re wrong. That thing they’re using to play music is pretty much like a CD player and I fiddled with it enough that now we can teach them to dance, Earth-style," Lee said proudly. Monet grinned.

"Scott, wait here. Lee, I’ll go get them right now," she said before rushing out of the room. Scott rubbed his neck absently. Lee was already on her way back to Drake, where he had been guarding the fashioned CD player. She gave him the thumbs up sign. He laughed.

"I was getting pretty sick of being the one who didn’t know which foot goes where," he told her when she came within hearing distance. She laughed too.

"I know, so was I," she said happily. "Now let’s see where they put their feet." Monet soon returned with the promised CD’s and Lee approached Oiseux, gained permission, and returned. Monet picked up the thing that Oiseux had used like a microphone earlier and switched a switch, hearing the crackling sound of a microphone coming to life.

"Excuse me, could I have your attention for a minute?" she started to say and everyone turned to look at her. "Hi, I’m your human helper. I know you probably want to know as much about Earth as you can, so we brought along music of our own and we can show you how us Humans dance." Lee put the CD of Jewel in the make shift CD player.

If I could tell the world just one thing,

It would be we’re all OK.

The CD began to play and Lee and Drake began to dance, swaying to the beat. Shi’ar began to copy them, swaying to the beat. Monet leaned over Scott’s shoulder.

"I wonder what Jewel would think of her music being played in an alien spaceship, miles from Earth?" she thought out loud.

"I hope she’d be proud. I would if I were her," he said. "But then again, I don’t know how a girl would think."

"Whatever she’d think of it, care to dance to it?" Monet asked, pulling him towards the center where Lee and Drake were dancing. They also began to dance.

It was a great night. Jean returned, without Charles, but with the Britany Spears CD she had bought. It was much harder to teach the Shi’ar a faster pace dance to Baby One More Time, but they eventually got it. In fact, they loved it and the song was repeated over and over and over. . .

My loneliness

Is killing me.

I must confess,

I still believe.

Still Believe!

They all went to bed rather late that night, but they all had wonderful dreams. They dreamt of dancing aliens (and Lee swore the dancing baby visited her) and whatever else their teenage minds could come up with. It was the calm before the storm.