"Ok people, we knew something like this was going to happen eventually. We have all kinds of defenses but lets just run through them again because I'm such a paranoid little soul." Donella was sitting at the head of the conference table with the X-Men plus a few of the former refugees who'd proven themselves highly resourceful and useful.
Donella hated calling it the council or the board but there were few options so she'd settled on the Haven Planning Committee. Scott, being her Defensive Logistics Officer, stood and held up a binder. "We put a lot of planning into preventing technological and mutant detection. We have Radar jammers set up all over the province to confuse anyone hunting for us. We used some of the same technology and metal Magneto used in his helmet to cover the dome which helps hide us from Telepaths. We've got radio jammers, subsonic distortions, seven and a half feet of concrete, carefully concealed entrances. I can't see how he's managed to figure out what continent we're on much less what province."
He spent twenty minutes describing how their various layers of defense worked with the others and how he planned to reinforce them then it was Logan's turn. Donella had appointed him the Offensive Logistics Officer, he had set up their training routine, trained the instructors then organized when and where everyone would train. Offensive and defensive training were mandatory in Haven. "Hank and I jus' installed the new perimeter alarms and the perimeter weapons system. If they come by ground they'll get a nasty surprise. As for our air defense we're screwed. Can't have one without showin' off where we are. But we've got enough fliers to put up a good fight. The interior of Haven has checkpoints, we've got weapons located in lockers every Hundred yards all keyed to only open to Mutant DNA, thank you Hank. The Security Teams are all up to date and combat ready though with your permission Donella I'd like to switch the barracks around a bit. Put the combat ready at the forefront."
Donella nodded and the minute taker noted it down. Logan continued. "I suggest patrols around our interior border. Hourly if not every thirty minutes Switch 'em out every three days that typa thing. Double the guard at our entrance points and have everyone ready for an evacuation through the tunnels. I'd also like permission to arm the self destruct."
The room went eerily silent and Donella considered the request very carefully. Haven had been built with a self destruct in the event they were too badly compromised. It was a last resort, especially since with the population of Haven being well over six hundred there was little chance they'd be able to evacuate everyone before the self destruct collapsed Haven. Hundreds could die. Donella shook her head slowly. "I do not believe we've come to that just yet. Permission denied."
Logan nodded once and kept going. "We need at least another dozen people on the Security Monitors and I'd like another half dozen in the Media Room hacking the FoH servers."
Donella nodded and Logan flipped a page in his binder. "The last item on my list is evacuation. In the event we need to evacuate through the tunnels we won't have enough Chiefs for all the indians. How do we want to work that? And where is our rendezvous?"
Donella motioned to Kurt who was in charge of locating an alternate site for a secondary sanctuary. "I may have found a place but you vill not like it." He said in his germanic accent, softened by years of living with Americans.
Donella motioned for him to proceed and he brought up a world map on the far wall. He moved to it and pointed at a spot in the middle of Brazil. "Zere is a series of enormous caverns larger even zan Haven. It vould be difficult to get zere though."
"I want everyone working on ideas for how to get there and make it habitable." Donella said glancing around the room. "I don't want to have to but in the event Haven is compromised beyond repair we'll do what we must. I'm opening the floor to thoughts and suggestions. Please don't shout."
She sat back and gave the Committee a chance to voice themselves. Logan sat back as well, he had said what he intended to. If he had anything further to add he would track down Donella and tell her in private. "I believe we should begin evacuation now." Storm said.
"That would be nearly impossible and give away our position." Angel commented.
"Someone needs to get more supplies then if we're going to withstand a siege. Medical and food, the hydroponics aren't ready to harvest yet."
Should we begin rationing?"
"Oh I don't think that's such a good idea. It will alarm everyone and there might be fights or riots."
"What are we going to tell everyone. There are already rumors."
"There will always be rumors. Should we give the population a choice, stay and wait it out or evacuate?"
"That's really not much of a choice. Stay here and have a fifty fifty chance or go out there again and have a fifty fifty chance."
"So really all we're doing is offering them a choice in how to die."
"Jean! You know that's not what we're doing."
"No what we're doing is letting Donella choose for us." Jean stood up and planted her hands on her hips. "I find it all rather ironic that it's her brother hunting us down. That as soon as we rescued Xavier she stayed behind to talk to the FoH leader, who she claims was an impostor but how do we know? She could have told him just where to find us."
Donella looked up at Jean her eyes unconcerned. "I believe we've already had this argument. Three months ago when I called a meeting to let everyone know just who was behind the FoH. I offered to step aside. The Committee voted against it. The population of Haven knows as well, it's not like it's a secret." She stood up and gave everyone her full attention. "Jean is probably not the only one who suspects me. I'll offer the Committee another chance. Do you want me to step aside? You can appoint whomever you wish to replace me. I'm going to step out for a minute so you can discuss it. Someone call me back when you've decided."
She exited the room and Jean spoke up again. "You all know what my thoughts on it are. Now they've been justified. Her brother knows we're in British Columbia. I don't think it's any kind of coincidence."
"And jus' who would you like to appoint to replace her Jeannie?" Logan drawled arching a brow.
"Scott." Jean replied promptly and Rogue laughed.
"Sorry Scott. I'm not laughin' at ya. Just at Jean there. The only reason ya didn't nominate yerself was cause no one's gonna put up with yer high and might ass in that chair."
Jean scowled at her. "I nominated Scott because he was being groomed by the Professor to take over when Xavier was gone. Then Donella shows up and it all changes on a dime? I don't think so."
"Well he seemed to." Storm replied. "You always were a little too quick to discount Donella, Jean. There's more there than meets the eye. Xavier knew that. Perhaps he saw a quality in her that might not have been present in Scott. No offense Scott."
Scott shrugged easily. To be honest he'd never been keen on taking over from the Professor, or the leader of the X-men. He was a defensive person at heart, after a certain amount of necessary posturing with Logan they'd settled into an easy relationship. Logan did the rough stuff and Scott took care of the defense.
Jean snorted. "There are hidden qualities to Donella alright. She's a former heroine junkie, she was a stripper when Logan found her, Lord only know what kind of criminal record she has..." She trailed off when she saw the looks on Logan's, Rogues and Storms faces. She only belatedly realized she'd crossed a line.
Logan spoke up first. "Yeah, she was strippin' when I met her. She ain't never been ashamed of her body that's fer sure. And she was a heroine addict when she was a teenager. You remember being a teenager right? Wanted all the things that were bad for you and didn't care what anyone said cause hell yer immortal when yer a teen. But she's never stolen and she's never killed someone who didn't deserve it. So why don't you jus' admit what ya hate about her."
Everyone watched Jean and she realized no one here was going to back her up, and if the thoughts she heard from Haven were accurate no one in Haven would either. She flushed angrily and Rogue smirked. "You hate that she's closer to Xavier than you are. Ya hate that he chose her not you and you hate that everyone liked her the second they met her while you seem to be an acquired taste. S'what ya get for being a snob."
Storm stood and opened the door. She walked a few feet and found Donella dozing in a chair. "Donella. The Committee has come to a decision."
Donella rubbed at her eyes and followed Storm back in. "So did you hammer it out?"
"We did." Jean replied shortly sitting down.
"Yeah. I'd like to make a motion that Jean Grey be removed from the Committee. On the grounds that she's being a royal pain." Logan added.
Jean stared at him then around the room as everyone seconded then passed the motion. Donella raised an eyebrow when Scott raised his hand as well. "Well then. Its seems Jean that you are no longer welcome at the auspices. Please leave."
Jean stood in a huff. "With pleasure." She snapped and stalked out slamming the door behind her. Donella looked at Scott. "You sure you made the right choice?"
Scott shrugged. "To tell you the truth Donella, you do a far better job running this place than I could and I like it that way."
Donella smiled. "Thank you. Ok then. Everyone knows what they're doing so lets do it."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
The meeting, in which you see something sort of unexpected but not really.
Chapter End Notes:
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