CHAPTER 6 - THE PHOENIX COMETH

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Back in the subbasement levels of the mansion, a pair of circular, metallic doors part seamlessly with a slight hiss to reveal the expansive Cerebro Chamber within. 

It was a gigantic, spherical room with walls lined in sleek, featureless tiles. A long catwalk extends from the doors to the platform at the end which sits in the centre of the room and contains the computer system as well as the headpiece necessary to use the cerebro device. 

Cerebro itself is a computer device meant to track the mind of anyone, human or mutant, on the planet. It was originally designed by Beast when he was working for the CIA, but together with his old friend Magneto, Xavier perfected it and became its primary user due to his advanced powers of telepathy. 

The doors shut behind him and Professor Xavier traverses the catwalk until his power-chair reaches the platform at the end

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The doors shut behind him and Professor Xavier traverses the catwalk until his power-chair reaches the platform at the end.  He attaches the Cerebro headpiece and activates the device.

Across the country, in Houston, Texas to be exact, the NASA Control Centre room is in turmoil. Personnel are busy from one end to the other, some working on their own, others in small groups of four or five, huddled over machinery or deep in conversation. 

Radar screens depict the space shuttle Endeavour as a minute dot facing some sort of giant cloud that inches ever closer. 

A flight controller spots something on the radar screens and alerts the Flight Director.

"Uh...Ma'am, there's a second aircraft approach..."

A tough woman in her fifties, she turns towards his screen where a second dot has indeed appeared.

Back at the mansion, Xavier adjusts the headpiece, fiddles with some dials on the console and closes his eyes, his telepathic voice reaching out.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of NASA..."

Over at the NASA Control Centre, everyone in the room stops for a moment as Xavier's voice echoes in their minds. They look around, slightly confused but not panicked or afraid. 

"This is the voice of Charles Xavier. Could someone please apprise me of the situation?"

Xavier winces slightly as the telepathic response is very nearly simultaneous. 

"We were picking up solar flares," said the Flight Controller.

"We believe the heat shorted out their electricity," said the Flight Dynamics Officer.

"They lost control. Communication. Orientation. Pretty much everything," said the Capcom Controller. 

"Not to worry, Mission Control," Xavier replies with confidence, "help is on the way.

" 

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