The X-Project

“What was supposed to be a routine day at the United Nations headquarters in New York has turned into a firestorm of controversy. Ellen Tauscher, the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs was in the midst of a speech regarding new talks on international nuclear security measures when she was interrupted by two teenagers, requesting asylum in the United States. The teenagers, seventeen year old Phillip Moreau and sixteen year old Jennifer Ransome, secretly fled the African island nation of Genosha following Ransome’s recent positive test as a mutant. They claim that under the laws of their country, mutants are forced into a form of state service and are denied the rights of human Genoshan citizens.

What makes their story unique is that Phillip Moreau is actually the son of the current President of Genosh - President David Moreau. He claims that they were forced to sneak out of the country under false identities, since Ransome’s right to travel was immediately suspended on her positive test. Tausher, who spent a week in Genosha last August, confirmed Phillip Moreau’s identity but refused to comment further on his claims or whether the United States will grant asylum to both teens.

The Genoshan Ambassador to the United States, Horace Zafy immediately appealed to the State Department to return both teenagers to Genosha. He released the following statement:

Phillip Moreau and Jennifer Ransome are not refugees. Their parents and the Genoshan government have been looking for them since their disappearance over a week ago, afraid that they had been kidnapped or hurt. Their accusations about Genosha and our mutant policies are sadly confused, obviously fed to them by opposition or activist groups intent on undermining the government. Nothing could be further from the truth, and Genosha would like to remind the international community that the concerns and welfare of the mutant segment of our population is directly represented in our government by the Commission: six mutants who have the direct ear of the President and our legislative assembly.

It is the position of the families and the Genoshan government that these two minors are to be returned home at once. We expect the government of the United States to act quickly and return them to their homes.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has not made an official comment yet on the situation, but promises to do so as quickly as possible. Her office has stressed that the claim for asylum dictates that certain steps must be taken before they can either consider the claim or turn them over to Genoshan officials.

What may complicate the situation is Genosha’s position as a key economic partner and energy supplier to the United States. The island is one of the few, long standing free-market democracies in the region, and a political fight could drive them closer to Asian markets and effect energy prices in the United States in the months before the elections.
We will have more on this story as it develops.”