Public Refusal

Posted on Sun Oct 20th, 2024 @ 9:34 by Claire Cavendish

Chapter: Besieged
Location: Avalon Institute, Exterior
Timeline: Wednesday, January 3rd, 1993
1845 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Claire's heels clicked against the stone as she crossed the bridge. A ritual that had become all too familiar. The walk down the bridge that connected the Institute to the civilised world. Civilised. That word no longer meant what it used to mean. The news organisations were all lined up, behind the small improvised fence they had set. There were a lot more than for earlier interactions they had done. Claire walked up to the small podium they had created all the way back in September. Had it really been that long since the Sentinel had attacked? The long black winter coat whipped in the wind as it had done that night she had met with Warden. That had been admin, prep for what was about to unfold. She raised her hands interrupting any questions that they felt like they might want to shout at her.

“I have a short statement prepared, after that I’m open to answer some questions.” Claire cleared her throat and tried to remember exactly what she had rehearsed with Liana. “Today is a dark day for the UK. Never before has a group of people been persecuted as mutants will be under the Mutant Registration Act.” She looked around the crowd, making sure to make eye contact with the news cameras. “The government forces mutants to expose private and intimate details. Something that for any other group of people is protected under privacy and medical laws.” Another pause, which she’d been told to build in to add effect to her words. “We at Avalon believe in personal autonomy over these types of decisions, and would never force people to divulge such information about themselves to the government or anyone else.” Another pause that she felt was filling the news crews with anticipation. They all knew what their stance was going to be, that wasn’t the thing that created the tension, it was the fact that they were saying it out loud. “As such it is with a heavy heart that I have made the personal decision to not register my status under this unconstitutional law, and that Avalon Institute will provide protection to staff and students that decide to follow this example. In addition we will provide everyone that feels compelled to comply with the law the necessary support and resources to do so in an orderly and lawful fashion.”

She had wanted to put in another pause, but it was too much for the news people to bear and once the first question was shouted, it broke a levee. “Please. I’ll answer your questions, first. You miss.” She pointed at the first person that had interjected a question.

“News of the world, here, trying to address the elephant in the room, why are you taking the stance of not registering when your status as a mutant is obvious to even the most casual observer?”

“Thank you for that question, miss.” Claire gave a solemn nod, “I could easily say it’s the principle of the matter and be done with it. But aside from the fact that I have purple skin there’s nothing that you can determine from looking at me. This law would have me divulge information about my anatomy that is of no concern to the general public, let alone the government. The only reason that this information is interesting to them is because they want to use it to assess the danger I pose to the general public.” She spread her hand, “I have never posed a threat to the general public, and up until today that meant that I was to be treated as innocent.”


The next journalist didn’t wait for the first to acknowledge this satisfied her question before interjecting himself.

“Hi Claire, I can call you Claire, right? Kris from the Daily Hill. Question; Do you think there will be much resistance from the mutant community in joining the register? Also do you think this will keep Britain safer?”

“Thank you, Kris, for that question, I think the past few weeks, since this new law was announced, have shown a great deal of dissatisfaction within not only the mutant community but also the general public regarding the unconstitutional registration of private and intimate details of British citizens. And I don’t actually believe it will do anything to improve the safety of the British people, in fact it might actually make things worse as it’s forcing an issue that could’ve been handled on a personal level. This oversight and bureaucracy only makes it more and more unlikely that we can connect with these people on a personal level. I think we all remember what happened last time people were rounded up and numbered.”

“Paul, representing the Daily Mirror, if I may. That’s such a dishonest comparison that you’re making trying to appeal to some sort of victimhood. Given the clear danger mutants pose to us normal people, don’t you think that you’re setting a poor example for the students you claim to represent?”

Claire shook her head at the clearly loaded question fired her way. She knew it had been a bad idea to draw the similarity to the second world war, but it was the feeling it gave off. “I don’t think I am setting a poor example. I’m showing them that not everything that makes it into law is just. We’ve seen this time and again in regards to minorities. I’m also showing them a peaceful and helpful alternative to taking up arms or rioting by calmly and coherently set out my arguments against it. I believe if as a society we were to embrace this more we’d have a lot less conflict.”

“Claire, over here, Horse and Hound magazine, Don’t you agree the register would be providing us information about potentially hazardous situations beforehand? How can you be against a law that could save countless lives of our brave service men and women?”

“Again this is making the assumption that all of those born with the x-gene are a danger to themselves or their surroundings, which the very existence of this Institute clearly refutes. I am not against protecting the people of Britain, but the way our laws have always worked is that any resident of these islands is a friendly, innocent, productive member of society, until proven otherwise. This law assumes the exact opposite, which is why on a fundamental level I have to oppose it.”

“Miss Cavendish, if you please. Geralt of Genetext, I hope you’re a subscriber.” There was a bit of an awkward laugh from the man, “we have a couple of questions. First when in September a Sentinel attacked the students you were quick to extend a open invitation to all mutants that felt they needed a safe place to live away from persecution. Is that invitation still open? And would you allow fugitives from this new law to join your Institute? Also, don’t you feel that so openly opposing the Registration Act will open Avalon up to more hate crimes, seeing that the local community has already been shown to be hostile towards mutants in the past?”

“That’s a lot of questions, Geralt, thank you though.” Claire had been contemplating this specific question internally already as well. “The same invitation that I made in September is still in force today. Those who are genuinely seeking a safe harbour and are willing to put in the effort to improve our community and society as a whole are always welcome at Avalon. I don’t see people that are unwilling to register as fugitives, so that wouldn’t change my viewpoint on this. Those with criminal or terrorist intent, however, are as previously stated already, not welcome here.” She tried to remember the last question posed but couldn’t quite recall, “I hope that answers your questions.” A smile before another journalist posed a new question.

“Do you disagree with the entire law, or would you be able to support a version of the law that would focus solely on registering people with mutant abilities that have broken the law?”

There was a moment of pause, it wasn’t one of the questions she had prepared for and Claire was at a loss for an answer for a moment. “I understand the need for protection against criminal and terrorist elements, whether they come from the Mutant community or elsewhere. I still believe in due process and innocent until proven guilty though. As such I also don’t know whether a Registration of mutants, criminal or not, would achieve the goal of a safer Britain. I think we’d be much better served by investing the money going into the Genetic Oversight Unit into mental health care, so that those disenfranchised elements of our society can be given the proper care as to rehabilitate them into productive members of our community.”

“One last question, before I go back to my students and teach them all about ethics and morals. At least I think that’s what’s on the curriculum for the day.” Claire turned to a well dressed young lady that very properly and patiently had her hand raised for quite some time. “Yes, miss.”

“Oh, Hi, Miss Cavendish. Cosmopolitan, I’m Kristina and our readers want to know, where do you find makeup and fashion that compliments your very particular complexion?”

Another question that threw Claire for a loop but this time a bit more pleasantly that the previous one. “Ehm. Thank you for asking.” Another pause. “I’m not sure how I can answer that. I just go to the drug store and have the worst time trying out different shades and blends.” She absentmindedly touched her darkened lips, “I came across this brand back when I lived in the USA, and I’ve never really deviated from them because they give a great coverage.”

“What brand would that be, miss?”

“MAC. I think. Yeah. MAC Lipsticks.” She felt that was a bit of an anti-climactic finish to what was a very heavy conversation she was having with the gathered journalists. “Thank you all for your time.” And with that she turned and stepped off the podium. She had to suppress the urge to simply teleport back to her office, because as she had said in one of the earliest questions for as far as the general public knew, she was just purple. She’d always been quite careful about protecting the actual nature of her abilities beyond that.

The walk back over the bridge seemed less long than the trek in the other direction. A load was off her shoulders as she had made a decision. Whatever the consequences, she’d have to live with that decision. The thing that helped with that was that she knew in her heart that it had been the right one. Whether the Government would agree with that assessment, was of course and entirely different story.