By the time the Tech Team traveled out to the Dyson Sphere light years away, Lila had laid out all the important information -- maps of the area, areas that would be rich with potential materials, safety tips about combing the interior of the Dyson Sphere.

The Tech Team arrived inside the abandoned mid-rise building, not unfamiliar to people who made jumps with Lila before. They just never ventured outside the interior room to the outside. The view from the top floor revealed a ghost town -- this megastructure had been abandoned several years ago when a newer one had been constructed around a more stable source of energy than the star at this Sphere's center.

Lila led them down to street level and they were greeted with the bright starlight flooding the empty streets.

"-- if it's organic, if it reacts to your touch or sunlight, leave it. We're not going to be responsible for bringing that shit back to earth."

She lifted her hood and tugged out her sleeves to cover her arms before picking a direction, resting her bolt cutters against her shoulder.

"And for heaven's sake, stick together. Don't need to go losing one of you out here."

[ THREAD: TECH TEAM ]

It was the night before Prom at Santa Monica High School.

Thanks to Lorna Dane's discerning eye and Ororo Munroe's patience, the inside of Inferno had been transformed from its usual decor to a more colorful dance floor befitting a non-prom. The amount of detail in the decorations looked like it took more than the two days provided, brightening up the dark club and giving them the perfect venue for everyone's best dress. Doors opened at eight and the party was well underway by nine.

Food was lined up against one wall, monitored by Heather Cameron and any chaperone who felt the need to break away. There was plenty to eat, provided by a few different local places and replenished throughout the night. Drinks were offered from behind the counter, non-alcoholic punches and sodas for the students and something a little stronger for the older crowd if they looked like they needed it. And as long as no one started any trouble, a certain Miss Manners wasn't going to go around to verify drinks as alcoholic.

The majority of the music provided that evening was courtesy of Mark Sheppard, simultaneously taking requests while using his experienced judgment to play what kids these days liked. To give the resident disc jockey a break, Alison Blaire took the stage, performing a slew of covers and some of her own stuff with Lila Cheney providing the music tracks. At the height of the performance, Mark joined them back on stage and the two ladies belted out a rendition of 'Telephone' while a light show played over the crowd, perfectly synchronized to the music.

It looked like any other Friday night at the club, the crowd swelling on the dance floor. Only this time, this group was a bit younger than the average weekend crowd. The reactions of the non-mutant guests were varied but general positive; they wouldn't have been invited or attended if they were weird about mutants, after all. And if any trouble or cops showed up at the door, they were met by Betsy Braddock who charmingly convinced them they we needed elsewhere.

[ THREAD ; open to those who attended or helped out! ]

"I-- I-- I don't know, I swear! I'm just the receptionist!" A red haired guy stammered and cowered back from Shatterstar's swords. He pointed down the hallway to a hall, before hurriedly pulling the lanyard off from around his neck and thrusting it towards Ric's waiting hands.

Things had moved quickly after Art received that final phone call. The call to Scott had dispatched their back up - Ric and Tabby, with Lila as transport. Gaia had tagged along as well, determined to come along since her friend was in trouble. The group had stormed the studios at the address Art had been given, and were now making their way through the corridors thanks to the security pass they'd taken from the receptionist. The place was oddly deserted, almost as if it had been cleared out in anticipation of their arrival.

Which it had. The only souls left in the building now were Rita and the executive producer - whom the group quickly found once they reached the last studio. It was a vast empty space, with Rita standing slightly in front of a large man, dressed in a strange blue outfit with a sword in hand. Art stepped forward, waving off Star for the moment.

( Rita? What's going on? )

The realization did not come to Lila Cheney until she was at the grocery store in the snack aisle, comparing crisps. She had run dangerously low on snacks and while she was certain she did not want to eat until Christmas, she kept strange hours and didn't like cooking for herself. Her basket was full of many packaged things to satisfy her hunger those nights when she couldn't go out and buy take-out. She has been idly thinking that, now that she had resolved whatever issues there were between her and Forge, she could now start working on her relationship with Gaia or maybe even apologize for bruising poor Brian's ego.

( However, her mind didn't wander too far from Forge. )