Post by Trask on Jul 2, 2006 12:49:50 GMT -5
There was a general hubbub and murmur of voices. Journalists shifted uneasily in their seats, some having been waiting for close to an hour for an opportunity to quiz the President on the NovaTeX revelation. The men in black by the podium were nodding to each other and holding their earpieces, clearly the wait was almost over.
"Ladies and gentleman of the press, the President of the United States of America!" Most of the people in the room stood and applauded politely, the few remaining in their seats either not interested or representatives of foreign publications.
The president motioned for all to be seated and the clapping rapidly abated. Nobody had patience left for anything more than what courtesy demanded.
"Thankyou all for coming," the president began, "and my apologies for those of you that have been kept waiting. The traffic was appalling!" There were a few scattered chuckles but most gave nothing but a thin smile, knowing that the president had been delayed by yet more protesters on the streets.
The president moved right along, "yesterdays announcement by Mr. Rawlins has sent a shock-wave through not just our country, but across the world. We are once again faced with the question - who are we to say these people need to be cured?"
There was a silence, a few people glanced at each other uncertainly. It was widely known that the president had personally commended the efforts of the so-called X-Men for their efforts at Alcatraz. The incident had set the bill of mutant rights in motion.
"Some have mutations so extreme that they cannot even begin to live a normal life! Who are we to deny them the opportunity? Would you do any less for a blind man who could be given the gift of sight?"
The hubbub started up again but the president held his hand up for silence.
"There are those however that feel that a cure, even one voluntarily taken, is an offense to mutant-kind. We have already seen the horror of mutant terrorism at both Liberty Island and Alcatraz! And that is what it is - terrorism! There are mutants out there who will stop at nothing to see this cure destroyed because of the belief that it will be turned into a weapon to be used against them. To them I say this is not the case!"
The president put a hand over his heart. "Never again shall this cure be used as a weapon against mutant-kind, we have not the right to force it upon American citizens. And make no mistake, we are ALL American citizens, human and mutant alike."
The room erupted into a chorus of shouted questions, demands and in a few cases angry remarks. The president looked through the sea of faces and picked one out that seemed calm.
"Yes?"
Instantly the room hushed.
"Does this mean you intend to continue moving forward with the mutant rights bill Mr. President?"
"Indeed I do, I believe that if we are ever to come to terms with the mutant population then we first have equality."
More noise. Another face picked.
"Yes?"
"Mr. President, are there any plans to have the cure distributed outside the United States?"
"That would be in the hands of Mr. Rawlins and NovaTeX, but I have no doubt that exportation plans are already being drawn up should the demand require it."
Noise. Another.
"With the demand likely to be high, will NovaTeX not seek to profit from this enterprise by charging for the cure?"
The president shook his head. "Every citizen of this nation is entitled to his health and to that end NovaTeX will receive state funding for its efforts."
A quiet one, at the back.
"While none in this room would accuse you of not being a man of your word Mr. President, there are mutants out there, your terrorists for example, who will accept no assurances short of the destruction. What is to prevent a repeat of the Alcatraz incident?"
"A good question and one that I shall have to refer. Mr. Trask?"
Bolivar stepped up from where he had been sitting.
"For two years now we have been developing a unit designed specifically for combating mutant terrorism. Unfortunately the unit was still just a prototype at the time of the Alcatraz incident. However, we are now in the final phases of testing and will very shortly be able to deploy against emerging mutant threats."
He nodded to the stage assistant waiting in the wings.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I give you the Sentinel Mechanised Assault Unit."
The curtain dropped.
And for once the united press was silent.
"Ladies and gentleman of the press, the President of the United States of America!" Most of the people in the room stood and applauded politely, the few remaining in their seats either not interested or representatives of foreign publications.
The president motioned for all to be seated and the clapping rapidly abated. Nobody had patience left for anything more than what courtesy demanded.
"Thankyou all for coming," the president began, "and my apologies for those of you that have been kept waiting. The traffic was appalling!" There were a few scattered chuckles but most gave nothing but a thin smile, knowing that the president had been delayed by yet more protesters on the streets.
The president moved right along, "yesterdays announcement by Mr. Rawlins has sent a shock-wave through not just our country, but across the world. We are once again faced with the question - who are we to say these people need to be cured?"
There was a silence, a few people glanced at each other uncertainly. It was widely known that the president had personally commended the efforts of the so-called X-Men for their efforts at Alcatraz. The incident had set the bill of mutant rights in motion.
"Some have mutations so extreme that they cannot even begin to live a normal life! Who are we to deny them the opportunity? Would you do any less for a blind man who could be given the gift of sight?"
The hubbub started up again but the president held his hand up for silence.
"There are those however that feel that a cure, even one voluntarily taken, is an offense to mutant-kind. We have already seen the horror of mutant terrorism at both Liberty Island and Alcatraz! And that is what it is - terrorism! There are mutants out there who will stop at nothing to see this cure destroyed because of the belief that it will be turned into a weapon to be used against them. To them I say this is not the case!"
The president put a hand over his heart. "Never again shall this cure be used as a weapon against mutant-kind, we have not the right to force it upon American citizens. And make no mistake, we are ALL American citizens, human and mutant alike."
The room erupted into a chorus of shouted questions, demands and in a few cases angry remarks. The president looked through the sea of faces and picked one out that seemed calm.
"Yes?"
Instantly the room hushed.
"Does this mean you intend to continue moving forward with the mutant rights bill Mr. President?"
"Indeed I do, I believe that if we are ever to come to terms with the mutant population then we first have equality."
More noise. Another face picked.
"Yes?"
"Mr. President, are there any plans to have the cure distributed outside the United States?"
"That would be in the hands of Mr. Rawlins and NovaTeX, but I have no doubt that exportation plans are already being drawn up should the demand require it."
Noise. Another.
"With the demand likely to be high, will NovaTeX not seek to profit from this enterprise by charging for the cure?"
The president shook his head. "Every citizen of this nation is entitled to his health and to that end NovaTeX will receive state funding for its efforts."
A quiet one, at the back.
"While none in this room would accuse you of not being a man of your word Mr. President, there are mutants out there, your terrorists for example, who will accept no assurances short of the destruction. What is to prevent a repeat of the Alcatraz incident?"
"A good question and one that I shall have to refer. Mr. Trask?"
Bolivar stepped up from where he had been sitting.
"For two years now we have been developing a unit designed specifically for combating mutant terrorism. Unfortunately the unit was still just a prototype at the time of the Alcatraz incident. However, we are now in the final phases of testing and will very shortly be able to deploy against emerging mutant threats."
He nodded to the stage assistant waiting in the wings.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I give you the Sentinel Mechanised Assault Unit."
The curtain dropped.
And for once the united press was silent.
