As they materialised inside the spaceship, Remy shuddered at the change in temperature, now rather icy. He leaned against the wall, sliding to a seated position, as they were to await Cyclops' command before heading off to the bridge. The other teams assigned to this ship were in hangers on different floors, and would be attacking each of the primary locations for crew to be in. His team, consisting of himself and Shadowcat, had the hardest job, of course. The bridge, where all the officers would be at this time, complete with weapons and combat skills. Having nothing to do with his hands, he felt the ghost of a craving for a cigarette, even though he hadn't smoked in years since he couldn't stand what passed for tobacco in the Shi'ar Empire. He sighed and crouched down, looking up at Shadowcat, to find that she was looking at him.
"I guess you were surprised to find out about Xav," she stated.
Remy nodded. "Oui. But delighted," he added with a grin.
Kitty smiled, becoming a little warmer. "She's an absolute darling, and Rogue's such a good mother to her." She paused. "After seeing her when I was on the team with her, I didn't think she would be. She was always sharp-tempered and mostly angry about things. But I guess with everything that's happened, she's changed."
"She's grown up, chere."
"Hmph. Haven't we all?" Kitty looked at Remy for a long moment, as tho wondering whether to ask something. "How do you feel about Rogue?"
"I love her." The answer came instantly, not a moments thought needed. "I'm completely in love wit' her, an' if she can find it in her t' love me, den I couldn't be happier." He shrugged.
Sitting down, Kitty stretched her long legs in front of her, smoothed out the few wrinkles in her tight-fitting uniform. "I was in the mansion when she confessed about what she'd done - leaving you in the snow. I couldn't believe she'd done it. I mean, I was shocked to hear what you'd done, but I didn't know you all that well. But I know Rogue, I would never have thought she'd leave you to die."
"I was still in her head, an' t' be totally honest, at de moment she absorbed me dat second time, I was feelin' pretty suicidal. I wan'ed t' die, and those feelin's were passed onto her. Y' can't blame her f' it." Remy looked at her, and she looked right back at him. After a moment, she smiled wryly.
"Well, whatever else you are, you're darned cute. Even cuter than Longshot," she added with a grin. Remy rolled his eyes, chuckling shoftly.
"Why is it I'm always bein' compared to de guy? At least I'm human." He paused, then shrugged. "Sort of. But I guess if he looked good, dat's okay. I been told Roguie had a crush on 'im, an' what can I say? I trust her taste." He gave one of his most debonair smiles to Kitty. He then sobered up quickly. "Petite... What d' y' think? Could she learn t' love me again?"
After looking at him a long time, she nodded slowly. "To be honest, I don't think she ever stopped. She told me that you were still the guy she fell in love with, under all the mess, and wished she'd helped you to sort it all out, instead of making it worse." Kitty looked into Remy's eyes. "She regretted what she did. I guess it must have been when your memories wore off, she was horrified at herself. Cried all the time, and then found out she was pregnant. I think she was happy at that, happy she still had something of you."
Remy smiled, but whatever he was going to say was interrupted by Cyclops' voice, carried by Xavier's telepathy. We're ready, X-Men. Remember, we want them alive! The short transmission was cut off, and Remy and Kitty stood.
"Can y' phase us thru dat wall?" Getting an affirmative from her, he explained his plan. "We get in dere, I want y' to take out de weapons systems, so dey can't attack de ship de Proffesor and Lil are on. Soon as dat's done, disable de navigation an' help me knock 'em out. If y' in trouble, just phase and stay phased, d'accord?"
Kitty nodded and took hold of his hand. Tho Remy hadn't been phased before, he couldn't tell the diffference. The short trip thru the wall was just a flash of wires and metal, then they were on the bridge. Kitty's hand released his, leaving him tangible, and vulnerable. They still had the element of surprise, however, as the assembled crew stared at these two ghosts who had appeared to walk thru a very solid wall. Charging up a hand full of cards, he let them fly, and two crewmen fell. Thanking Kythri, he charged another handful. The crew had now come to their senses however, and were firing at him. He leapt out of the way of a volley of phaser fire, and knocked three of the crew down, but only one of them out. A second burst of phaser fire clipped his arm and knocked him down, head spinning and throwing arm on fire. Thinking lightning fast about what Hank had said to him about his powers, he 'felt' the change in density between the metal of the phaser and the flesh of one of the crew, and frowned. He felt a buzz as he did when charging an object, only this time it was in his head, not his hands. The phaser exploded and Remy blinked. It was a very powerful explosion. It seemed Beast was right, though he did have a lot to learn about the full extent of his powers and how to control them. And he had an awful headache brewing, not all of it due to the phaser hit. Ignoring what that meant, he concentrated on staying alive, ducking as someone tried to punch him and kicking a pale orange alien in the head. He picked up a phaser of a downed crew member, and, changing the setting to stun, got three to them before charging the phaser and knocking two of them to their feet. Kitty solidified herself - a strange sensation for Remy's mutant sense - and KO'd the both of them. Removing the last card from his pocket, Remy walked over to the last officer standing - the Commander. She glared at them, eyes angry, glowing yellow.
"I will not surrender," she hissed. "And you will not get away with this! Do you think this is all of my crew?!" She asked, voice scathing.
Smiling darkly, Remy mimicked her. "Do you think this is all of my crew?" She looked uncertain, and Remy pushed at this weakness. "You're finished, chere. Y' leader's bailed already, and y' crew defeated. D' y' really wanna fight when y've already lost?" She hung her head.
"I will not fight, for Lady Cal'syee's sake, if you promise me she will get a lighter punishment."
Remy cocked his head, then nodded. "If all o' y' are as compliant, den I have no doubt Lil'll be merciful," he agreed. Professor! We're all ready to go. A shimmer, then the scenery changed and they were standing in front of the brig on Lilandra's cruiser, those they had just captured inside a blue forcefield. Seeing Lilandra next to him, Remy gave a Shi'ar salute, greeted her formally in her language.
"They asked dat y' be merciful t' Deathbird," repeated Gambit. Lilandra nodded, looking thoughtful. "Somethin' on y' mind, cherie?" She turned and smiled at him.
"Charles told me about Xavia, Remy." His eyebrows raised, and he nodded. "When this mess is over, I would be delighted to come and see her, if you would allow it?"
His face split by a grin of joy and pride, Remy nodded and gave a bow. "As both my Empress an' my friend, I would be delighted t' have y' see her. She'll love y', cherie. An' she wants t' see Chandilar once it's rebuilt."
Turning, cloak swishing majestically, Lilandra headed off to the bridge, indicating for the two mutants to follow her. "My friend, I too would love to see Chandilar once it is rebuilt."
"How's it goin' wit' de Prof?" At the question, Remy noticed Kitty's surprised look, and smiled at her to relax her, knowing she no doubt felt a little awed by the precense of the leader of most of the galaxy.
"Well. Charles is assured I do not resent him for his past - as the X-Men forgive, so do I," she stated, smiling at Remy, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "What is the Terran phrase...? Ah, yes. I told you so."
He had the dignity to look abashed as they arrived at the bridge. Charles looked up at them and nodded in acknowledgement. "Most of the teams are finishing up now, and, as was predicted, Deathbird has transported down to the planet. It's up to Bishop and Robert, now," he mused. Remy sat down at the communications seat, and wondered if Bishop would be able to bring the traitor whom he loved to justice. With a small smile, he saw the irony. Bishop had called him a traitor, though it turned out that he would fall in love with one. *De boy can't keep 'way from 'em.*
Walking to the bridge, he saw the Professor in deep concentration, no doubt keeping track of his X-Men. Even so, he looked less tense than Remy had seen him since he had divulged his reason for returning to Earth. It seemed his meeting with Lilandra had been as joyous as his own with Rogue. Looking up as a flash lit the room, the screen had flashed on, showing Cyclops, Hank stood behind him at a console.
"We've subdued the ship, Deathbird has transported down to the surface."
The Professor opened his eyes, coming out of his telepathic trance. "The others are rounding up the remnants of the crews of the ships, the Shi'ar teams have all reported on successful capture of the crews. Jubilee is unconcious but will be fine, but for a headache." He looked up at Remy, blue eyes telling him quite clearly that he was proud of his most unlikely student. He then turned back to the screen. "I beleive Lilandra would like you to start transporting the crews over...?"
The Empress nodded, tall and regal as Remy had ever seen her in impressive battle armour. "I would. The security crews are currently standing by, the brigs ready for the transports." The screen flickered off, and Lilandra looked at each of them in the room, and sighed, her eyes worried and almost guilty for capturing her sister. "It is up to Bishop and Iceman now."