The defeat of the Cambrian now opens the door to a whole new host of challenges. Before the Cambrian even attacked, the X-men Supreme fanfiction series was going through some big transitions. President Robert Kelly and General Nathan Grimshaw had started a bold initiative to deal with mutants. General Grimshaw even invited Charles Xavier to be part of that process. He gave Xavier and his X-men a chance to prove themselves. Now it seems they have failed the test. After the attack by the Cambrian, there isn't much room to be reasonable. This will create a dangerous environment that will set the stage for some significant changes in the X-men Supreme fanfiction series.
But before those changes can manifest, the dust from the Cambrian attack needs to settle. There's a big mess, both literally and figuratively, to clean up. Spirits have been broken, hearts have been hardened, and relationships have been strained. In the next issue of X-men Supreme, the biggest challenge the X-men and everyone around them must face is just processing what just happened and how they're going to deal with it. Some will use it as a means to gain strength. Others will use it make hard decisions. And the decision made will have long-lasting implications. I've prepared an extended preview of the kind of hard decisions that can be expected.
‘So this is how the world reacts to a giant mud monster…Genosha occupation round two. I’m not sure if I should be overwhelmed or underwhelmed. Nobody is happy to see armed troops in their homes again. Hell, the troops themselves don’t look happy being here either. Guess the Cambrian took away everybody’s desire to start a fight. But the hangover is going to wear off. Sooner or later, someone is going to make a move.’
Alex Summers mused over this latest debacle as he looked over the landscape of Genosha. He had a good view of the capital city from atop the tallest building in the downtown area that had been turned into a makeshift government center. This was where the Brotherhood was setting up shop to govern this devastated island. He turned one of the top floor offices into his own bedroom. The rest of the Brotherhood had their own rooms as well. Magneto was also present, but he stayed in a secure area lower in the building and was still not all there after his encounter with the Cambrian.
Looking down towards the base of the building, Alex watched dozens of wary soldiers patrol the area. This was probably the most secure building on the island now since Magneto was in it. Lorna and Wanda did not take any chances and used their powers to erect a tall metal barrier made out of rubble from the citadel with special secure entrances. They also borrowed some security gear from the military and installed it to give some added layers of protection. It was nowhere near the protection they once had in the citadel, but it would have to do.
‘How can this end in anything but disaster? As soon as the population recovers, they’re going to want these troops gone. It’s not like they can protest. The world already hates us because they think Magneto conducted some illegal experiment. It may not be that far from the truth, but we aren’t winning any sympathy that’s for sure. They’re rigging the fight so we can only go with two hands tied behind our back. Something’s gotta give and I happen to be the leader of the Brotherhood. I’m starting to wonder if there’s anything worth leading at this point.’
Alex sighed as he looked back towards the ruins of the Citadel. Cleanup was already underway. The globs of the Cambrian that had fallen all over the world had pretty much withered to dust. The rest of the world had the luxury of just dusting off their cars and buildings and returning to a normal life. Here on Genosha, it was different.
Not far from the citadel, a series of camps were set up. These were medical depots where mutants who were affected by the Cambrian could go for medical treatment, courtesy of the occupying soldiers. Some were reluctant to get that treatment and he had already dealt with incidents of abuse from bigoted soldiers. By and large, they still did a decent job. They gave the mutant citizens of Genosha the resources they needed to recover. It would be a wonderful act of charity if the armies of the world didn’t spend most of the time stripping Genosha of the resources that made it strong.
Alex Summers could only shake his head and turn away. He obviously wasn’t going to solve Genosha’s problems today. When he turned towards the door, he was greeted with an unexpected presence.
“Uh…hey Alex. Do you have a moment?” said Lorna in an awkward tone.
“Um…sure,” he said, “What’s wrong? Is Blob whining for his third snack since lunch?”
“He’s already on his forth by my count. But I was hoping to talk to you about something and I’d like to address it before we’re overwhelmed again.”
She almost sounded nervous. That was rare for any daughter of Magneto. Alex remained concerned as he watched Lorna pace throughout his room, gazing out through the same window he had been staring from the past half-hour.
“I heard from Wanda that you’re officially the head of security. Some in the Brotherhood area already calling you General Summers,” she said.
“I thought they were calling me a much more vulgar title,” made Alex as he walked up beside her.
“Everybody calls everybody something vulgar on this island. You have any idea what some people call me behind my back?”
“Is it something I should consider grounds for treason? Because with my new authority, I can do that,” he said with a half-grin.
“Thanks, but I don’t think we can afford to be petty at this point,” she replied with a grin of her own, “I bring it up because even though you think everybody undermines you, I believe that a good share of Genosha has come to respect you. Now that Wanda is in charge, we have so many uncertainties. This new occupation is going to change things and it may not be for the better.”
“That seems to be the consensus,” Alex conceded, “Nobody thinks much good will come of this shit. You put too many fighters in a confined area and they’ll find a reason to fight.”
“I don’t doubt that. It has a lot of people scared. Even some in the Brotherhood are scared with my father being so distant and Toad being in jail,” said Lorna as she turned to face Alex, “But you know what? I’m not afraid. I honestly believe Genosha will get through this. I honestly believe it’ll become a homeland for mutants again one day.”
“That’s a pretty bold statement, Lorna. Some may call that wishful thinking,” warned Alex.
“I wouldn’t put it past them,” she conceded, “But I have a very good reason for believing in this.”
“Oh? And what might that be?” he asked curiously.
“It’s standing here right beside me.”
Alex’s attention shifted away from the window and towards the eyes of this enigmatic yet alluring young woman. His confusion quickly gave way to new feelings entirely. The usually poised Alex Summers found himself faltering under her gaze.
Lorna managed a slight smile despite her awkwardness and moved in closer to the bewildered young man. More feelings continued to surface for her. Since there was no telling when they would get another chance like this, she might as well let them flow freely.
“You showed me something special, Alex. Throughout this Cambrian affair, you never stopped fighting. You never lost focus. When so many others were looking for a way out, you stood your ground. That makes you more than just a fighter. It makes you a genuine leader.”
Alex shifted awkwardly, trying not to look as foolish as he felt.
“I…do what I can,” he managed to get out.
“I know you do. That’s exactly why I still have hope,” said Lorna strongly, “I know that no matter what this new occupation brings, you’ll keep fighting for our cause. You’ll stand up when everybody else falls down. I…I can’t tell you how much that means to my family…and to me.”
Another awkward silence followed. Lorna was blushing bright red now while Alex could not fathom a worthy response. They just stood together in silence, gazing into one another’s eyes. Eventually, instincts beyond their control took over. They started drifting closer to one another until they met in a soft kiss.
Soon the awkwardness melted away. Words were no longer necessary. Since Alex was brought in, there was a subtle attraction between him and Lorna. It was hard to explore since Magneto kept them so busy. Now in the ruins of the Cambrian, they could skip all those unnecessary steps and just embrace this feeling. It was intoxicating, tender, and full of a love they both sorely needed.
Also, I did another quick update to the pics section, if for no other reason than to offer a holiday bonus for all those celebrating Thanksgiving. It is getting to be that time of year again and I want to be generous with X-men Supreme. Please remember that I'm always open to posting submitted artwork. Please contact me if you're interested. Until then, enjoy this latest update to the X-women section.
Psylocke Pics
Jean Grey Pics
Rogue Pics
It feels good to finish another big arc for the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. I look forward to shifting the pace and the tone of X-men Supreme as X-men Supreme Volume 4: Politics of Fear approaches its conclusion. However, I have not gotten as much feedback on this arc as I had hoped. I really mean it when I say I want to make the X-men Supreme fanfiction series as awesome as it can possibly be. And I can't do that without feedback and criticism. Please take the time to post comments in any issue or contact me directly and I'll be happy to discuss this or anything X-men related. I am very good at responding to every message and I always appreciate the support of my readers. I hope that support continues. Again, happy Thanksgiving everybody! Take care and best wishes. Excelsior.Jack
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