Uncanny X-Men Annual '97

"Rifts"

The Sudanese village settled by the mutants of Gene Nation has come under attack by Humanity's Last Stand, and Storm, de facto leader of the former Morlocks, leads the X-Men Cyclops, Phoenix and Cannonball in an attempt to stop the massacre. With aid from the locals, primarily Boost and Tether, the HLS forces are forced to retreat.

Tether confronts Storm about her lack of leadership, and Storm cannot disagree. As they tend to the wounded, the Brotherhood members Havok, Fatale and Dark Beast appear. Havok offers membership to any Gene National who wishes to join.

With a new Last Stand attack on the way, the X-Men and the Brotherhood agree to a truce. During the battle, D'Gard of Gene Nation witnesses acts of bravery and selflessness on the part of Storm and the X-Men and decides he was wrong to doubt Storm's leadership.

Phoenix aids Dark Beast in his plan to gain control of HLS's battle armor; once this is accomplished, Storm shorts out all the armor with lightning bolts.

The humans are captured and penned while the Gene Nationals cry out for mass execution. The X-Men refuse, but Dark Beast leaps up with a Last Stand weapon which he fires on the captives, leaving no trace. In actuality, Fatale teleported the humans away, satisfying Gene Nation's thirst for vengeance. Unknown to Fatale, however, Dark Beast intends the humans will become fodder for his experiments.

The Brotherhood departs, as D'Gard tells of his determination for Gene Nation to ably defend themselves in the future.