Somewhere Between 24 and 7 . . .
Jaya Mitai

This was an inside joke between two of my friends and I, who got bored 
one afternoon and bent the Marvel world to fit to the rules of Heroes 
Unlimited (Palladium) rpg.  Surely Magneto had enough Acolytes at one 
time that he'd never really met all of them, right?  And rumors travel 
faster than teleporters, these days . . . how would two ordinary 
Acolytes perceive their Lord, having never met him?  Particularly in 
_this_ situation . . .

In other words, this qualifies as a cute-fic, if such things exist.   
Not a work of art, a cute-fic.  And if you think that they're as cute as 
we do, there's a whole series of these, rivaling perhaps with Kaylee's 
Kai and Logan series in number.  Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but 
there's like ten of these . . .

Disclaimer - Marvel's people belong to Marvel.  Amanda and Taylor belong 
to me.  Erika belongs to Amanda and Taylor.  Kapi belongs to EMaC (she 
knows about this and Kapi is used with her command) and Cyan belongs to 
J-9 (used with her permission.)  All three of us will hunt you down and 
torture you with rats and figs if you use them without permission.  
Other Random Characters are probably mine, as well.  Rated PG for the 
occasional swearword.  Feedback to jaya_gm@hotmail.com.  (If you would, 
for some strange and incomprehensible reason, like to send EMaC or J-9 a 
message about their characters or this story, I will forward the 
messages.)


	O god . . .
	This wasn't what it looked like.
	She squeezed her eyes shut, until the spots behind her lids grew too 
bright to stand.  Then she opened them, blinked, and looked again.
	O god . . .
	This wasn't what it looked like.
	She shook her head and tossed the thing into the trash.  It flushed 
away and she heard the brief *whoosh* of the incinerator.
	There.  Hah.  They couldn't prove a thing.
	She moaned and fell face-first onto the bed.  Of course, it was very 
difficult to breath in that position, and a suddenly warm furry mass 
settling itself around her face didn't help.  She leaned up quickly, 
blonde hair splaying mainly into her face as she locked eyes with 
another set, brown and inquisitive.
	"How did this happen," she demanded.
	Kapi rolled onto her rather long back in the endearing way that only 
rodents can.  Amanda gave in and stroked the soft fur.  If mongooses 
could purr . . .  Mongoose fur clashed with the pastel floral pattern of 
the comforter, but she ignored that, as easily as she ignored the 
communications equipment to be repaired, her reflection in the 
floor-length mirror, and the cold metal-tiled floor.
	"What am I going to tell him?"
	Kapi sneezed delicately, then stretched out to her full length to allow 
Amanda easier access to her tummy.  Amanda was stroking the mongoose 
automatically.
	"This isn't supposed to happen.  We're supposed to protect his life.  
To guard him twenty-four seven.  We're not allowed to fall in love and . 
. . and this wasn't supposed to . . . and why the HELL didn't the damned 
birth control work?!"
	Kapi, sensing that Amanda was just a mite agitated, began to slowly 
scrunch up like a Slinky.  Having Tummy stroked by agitated Person was 
*not* a good thing.  Particularly an agitated Cyan, because those 
*hurt*.  Kapi still attentively listened to the ranting Person, though.
	"We took every precaution!  O god!  Exodus!  He's gonna blow his top . 
. ."  Amanda stood, starting to pace, and Kapi watched her go, back and 
forth, almost as though the mongoose  was watching a tennis match.
	"He's gonna ask me all sorts of embarrassing questions . . . we'll get 
a citation for sure . . . we'll be transferred to different bases . . . 
I'll never see Taylor again!  Unless . . ."  Amanda blanched.  "He 
wouldn't make me get an-"
	Kapi squeaked cutely, although Amanda took it for the warning it was.  
Someone was coming.
	That someone had a smile that could melt the biggest bitch in the world 
into a giggling schoolgirl.  He'd already done it some fifty times.  
That someone had hands as gentle as a spring drizzle, and lips as sweet 
as a jar of honey-
	And two little 'boys' that he'd very soon be without, if she had her 
way.
	That someone had the audacity to poke his head in, and pull that 
bitch-melting smile right out of his pocket!
	"Hey, babe!"

	Taylor walked into the communication center, looking slightly more 
baby-faced than usual.  Luckily, Neonity happened to have his same 
complexion, and the glowing woman had plainly been laughing as she had 
touched up the concealer around his eye.  Without the makeup, his eye 
was as blackened as the fingernail with the boot polish underneath it.
	Of all the days she had to deck him, why did it have to be the day 
Exodus was coming to the North American base?
	Sighing, he laid down on his back and slid beneath the panel, 
unscrewing the metal panel with the screwdriver that had so thoughtfully 
managed to be right there where he needed it.  He put it down and groped 
on the clean tiled floor for a pair of wire-cutters, not looking, never 
looking, and his searching fingers found it, near his right leg.  He 
snipped the offending corroded wires, pulling more wire from his pocket.  
The nut appeared underneath his hair.  He also found the hand-held 
sautering iron near his head.
	The translocation was getting better.
	Everyone loved to watch him work.  The only maintenance man that never 
carried tools with him, and never lost the tools.  Amanda ignored him 
pointedly.  Could she be _any_ more obvious . . .
	Win some, lose some, he thought, and quickly shielded his mind as 
Barbara turned.  The telepath merely raised her eyebrow, glanced at 
Amanda with a knowing smile, and turned back to her work.  As if 
tracking someone like Jean Grey was that bloody difficult.
	Every Acolyte snapped to attention as the caped teleporter made his 
entrance.  Every Acolyte was supposed to bow, as well, but few did.  If 
Exodus ruled Avalon in Magneto's absence, he terrorized the North 
American base, and any small irritation they got away with gave them an 
irrational surge of satisfaction.
	He sensed the hostility, and kept it brief.
	"Lord Magnus has use for this base.  In five months' time, we will 
launch a major offensive from this location.  In that time I want this 
base rebuilt into facilities like the ones on Avalon.  You will have to 
get used to using less. . . primitive equipment."
	The man turned on his heels and left, and Taylor heard Amanda's audible 
sigh of relief.
	Five months?!?!  But then she would be _visibly_ . . .
	Taylor was so startled a bird's egg materialized out of the air and 
landed on the tiled floor with a crack.

	"Amanda-"
	She whirled on him, speed belying the size of her stomach.  "You are 
the bastard that got me pregnant, and so help me God, you're going to be 
the one to tell him."
	Taylor glared at his reflection in the mirror in frustration, not 
getting the usual pleasure from watching her dress.  They had to be in 
uniform, now; they were at war.  Uniform meant spandex.  Spandex meant 
no more hiding the fact that Amanda was pregnant.
	Pregnant was not allowed.  One of Exodus' unofficial 'rules.'  Acolytes 
were supposed to dedicate all their time to Lord Magnus.  _All_ of it.  
On duty twenty-four seven.  Acolytes were not to be distracted from that 
mission.  Either the distraction was removed, or the Acolyte was 
removed.  Though he had never stated this out loud, everyone knew that 
Exodus had forced Sarah to have an abortion, and the second-in-command 
Acolyte was notorious for splitting up couples, reassigning them to 
other bases, cutting off their communications from one another.  And if 
Exodus though that, there was no _telling_ what Magneto was going to do.
	"Honey, maybe Magneto will think it's cute.  After all, we _are_ naming 
the baby after him."  Once they'd found out she was a girl, thanks to 
the psychic probe from Barbara, the choice of the name Erika had not 
been difficult.  Besides, Amanda's second cousin's aunt's mother was 
named Erika, so it was sort of like a family name.  Sort of.
	"Cute?  We'll be lucky - lucky! - if he doesn't have us killed."
	Taylor turned.  "All right, someone's over-reacting-"
	"If Exodus is like he is, Magnus is going to take it as a personal 
insult-"
	"Have you ever met him?"  Taylor's tone was quite challenging.
	Amanda hesitated.  "No.  Have you?"  Equally challenging.
	"No.  But I'm sure-"
	She turned without another word, effectively cutting him off, looking 
at her reflection in the mirror and groaning.  Taylor went to comfort 
her, he really tried, and she gave him a look as cold as ice.  He hugged 
her anyway.
	"I don't follow a man who would condemn a woman for being pregnant," 
Taylor told her quietly.  It implicated treason, and he knew it.
	Amanda turned and glared.  "I don't either.  But it isn't like we can 
just walk away if he _is_ displeased.  Not with our positions."
	Taylor's eyes narrowed further.  "You don't think Magneto would order . 
. ."
	They trailed into uncomfortable silence, each to their thoughts, as 
they finished pulling on the last of the costumes.  Amanda left first.  
Taylor waited five minutes, and left after her.  It wouldn't be good to 
see them both leaving together.  As though it wasn't public knowlege 
already.

	It was worse than he thought.  Despite the new equipment keeping their 
attention, all the other Acolytes were blatantly ignoring Amanda.  It 
was as though they were afraid to even look at her, for fear of 
incurring Exodus's fury.  Amanda was white in the maroon costume, her 
blonde hair looking even more pale against the cloth than usual.  The 
anticipation was palpable.
	Exodus merely strode in, back and forth, up and down the rows of 
costumed Acolytes, listening to military, cellphone, satellite, even 
news frequencies, for any sign that the humans or the X-Heroes had any 
idea what was about to happen to them.
	And then the mutant teleported away, returning all too soon with a 
figure that made everyone in the room stiffen unconsciously.  Exodus had 
ordered them to keep working, as Magnus had noticed that Acolytes bowing 
were unable to tend to their duties efficiently.  The news had not made 
Taylor feel any better.  He was having serious doubts about the dream 
this man had, and trying hard to keep them from the telepaths.
	Their Lord Magneto strode through, his quiet footfalls ringing loudly 
in the room, his very presence more than enough to make the newer 
Acolytes break out into sweat.  The man never paused, never gave Amanda 
a second glance, though she _was_ doing her best not to be noticed.  
Maybe Magneto had other things on his mind.  Maybe neither of them had 
noticed.  Maybe neither would notice, and they could somehow slip away 
in the attack, run away to Canada -
	After the two had left the communications room, there was a feeling of 
relief as well as anticipation.  What had their Lord thought of them, 
and their performance.  Did they meet with his standards?  Did the base 
meet with his standards?  Would any of them be chosen for the front 
lines?  Taylor was glad that he was not a telepath, didn't have to hear 
their cheery thoughts.  In his distraction, he never noticed mutants 
left and right were finding Jolly Ranchers everywhere -
	Richard stepped up behind Taylor and touched his shoulder.
	"I know, I know," he hissed back, suddenly noticing the sweet candy 
appearing on the counsel beside him.
	"No.  Man, Lord Magnus wants to see you.  And Amanda."
	Taylor thought he was going to throw up.

	He only spared Amanda a quick glance and a quick hand-squeeze, looking 
no more than a little 'Good luck' exchange to the untrained eye.  
Exodus's wasn't.  He practically glowered at the two of them before 
sending them through without a word.
	Where they supposed to bow?  Neither knew, and watched the other in 
their peripheral vision.  Finally, they both bowed jerkily and 
hesitantly.
	Their Lord Magneto turned from the monitor he had been observing, not 
seeming to notice their discomfort with eyes hidden in the shadow of his 
helmet.  He gestured.
	"Sit."
	It wasn't a request, but not openly hostile, either.  Taylor sat 
uncomfortably, and Amanda followed suite beside him.  He could see her 
hands shaking.  His were covered with sweat.
	Before Amanda could open her mouth and take the blame, though, he 
spoke, a trifle too loud.
	"It was my fault, sir.  I got carried away, and she told me it was a 
bad idea -"
	Amanda broke in.  "Sir, that's not true, I lead him on-"
	He interrupted her.  "Amanda isn't to blame for this, I take full 
responsibility-"
	"Be still."  Again, not a request.  They shut up.
	Magneto removed his helmet, exposing blue eyes, surprising light of 
shade, and a stone face. His white hair fell about his shoulders 
untamed, yet even it had a presence about it.  He set the helmet down 
and regarded them without blinking for many moments.  They centered on 
Amanda, suddenly.
	"Explain yourself."
	She bit her lip and looked away, anywhere but his eyes.
	"Somewhere between twenty-four and seven, we lost track of time . . ."  
She sounded absolutely pathetic.  She heard it, too, and anger gave her 
the courage to face Magneto eye to eye.
	"And I don't care what you think, sir, " she threw it in respectfully 
before hardening her tone once more, "but I _am_ going to have little 
Erika, and Taylor sure as hell isn't getting out of father duty.  If you 
don't like it, tough."  The last was more of a plea than a statement.
	Taylor closed his eyes, expecting at any moment to have the iron ripped 
from his body, to end up a puddle of goo in the chair.  Instead, he 
heard Magneto laugh.
	It was worse than they'd feared.  The man was insane.  A lunatic.
	Taylor traded a quick glance with the terrorized Amanda, and noticed 
tears tracking down her face.  He didn't dare reach out to her, though.  
Best that neither showed any weakness.
	Abruptly Magneto stood and walked straight over to her.  He lifted her 
chin with a finger, and touched her cheek.  It took all of Taylor's 
self-control not to attack the man.  To do so would sign their death 
warrants as surely as though they had slit their wrists themselves.
	"Congratulations."
	They both blinked.
	"Come now, why the tears?  Do you think me upset?"  He laughed again, 
and picked up her hand, placing his other over it.  "I'm overjoyed for 
the two of you.  You're the first, the first parents of a generation of 
children that will grow up in a world that will learn that 
discrimination against mutants will not be tolerated.  It is your child 
that will see my dream realized."
	Magneto smiled quite sincerely at Amanda, who was staring, mouth 
slightly agape.  She closed it quickly.  "W-what about my position?"
	Magnus positively grinned and patted her hand before releasing it, 
leaning on the heavy walnut desk quite casually.  "Of course I won't 
send you to the front lines.  You're much more valuable to me here, 
monitoring X-Men activity.  And as for you, sir."  He turned that 
intense gaze toward Taylor.
	"You, on top of every other duty you perform here, now have the task of 
making sure this woman stays safe and doesn't work herself to death.  
Six months, now?"
	Taylor found his voice was amazingly steady.  "Five, sir."
	Magnus nodded, the small smile lighting his eyes.  "She'll be tempted 
to do it.  I may need her full time, but I want her off time off.  You 
make sure she gets the rests she needs."
	"Yes, sir.  Of course, sir."
	Magnus hid a smile at Taylor's sudden stammering change of manner.  
"You two do realize that you're the first of my Acolytes to consider 
having a family.  Exodus tells me you're not married.  Have you not 
discussed this, or were you merely waiting for a better time?"
	Amanda popped right up, tears gone, her normal forward self.  "It's a 
bit hard to find a priest willing to marry two people at midnight.  
Besides, Exodus thought it was a bad idea."  Though her tone was meek, 
her eyes were like steel.
	Taylor smiled.


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