Oasis, Council Chamber.
It was a stone building converted from an old-world warehouse, with more than a dozen chairs already arranged along both sides of the long table.
Lorna was the first to enter. Without pausing, she went straight to the head of the long table and sat down.
Cable followed close behind and took a seat beside her.
"This is already the second time today," Cable said. "Does every decision you make have to be this much trouble?"
"If I decided everything myself, we might already be on our way to Vespera." Lorna sighed. "There are more than two thousand people here, and I need to make sure every one of them can stay alive here."
Cable fell silent for a moment at that, then leaned back in his chair.
Barely had she finished speaking when footsteps sounded outside the Council Chamber.
Two figures entered one after the other. In front was the Alchemist, Thomas Jones, followed by Pyro, John Allerdyce, who had a cigar clenched in the corner of his mouth. He casually pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Still waiting on people?"
"They'll be here soon," Lorna answered.
Before long, footsteps sounded outside the Council Chamber again.
Cecilia Reyes entered first, followed by Angel, Warren Worthington, his wings folded. They gave Cable a brief nod before taking their seats.
"Nathan, you look worse than last time."
Warren, the winged Angel, frowned at Cable. "Can't even Joshua restore you to normal?"
"The root of my problem is that the balance between Virion and me has been disrupted. Simply maintaining my own bodily functions won't do much." Cable shook his head, then asked, "It's already been two days... I hope we can reach a definite decision this time."
Two days earlier, shortly after Cable arrived at Oasis, Oasis