Strikeback

• Writer - Chris Claremont
• Penciler - Salvador Larroca
• Lettering - Tom Orzechowski
• Colorist - Liquid!
• Ass't Editor - Lynne Yoshii
• Editor - Andrew Lis
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  The force field has held, despite heroes within and without, and the aliens are able to send troops at will. Desperate, Rogue tells Sage to jumpstart her powers, to put her in control of every psyche she's absorbed, despite the risk to both of them. Sage says it'll be a permanent, unpredictable change.

  Rogue stays behind, a one-woman army, while the rest disguise themselves with alien suits. She-Hulk strength, Cyclops blasts, Iceman ice, Storm lightning: Rogue is finally in control, and laughs with enjoyment of it.

  Vargas observes, hugging his statue of Betsy, planning to make one of Rogue.

  Rogue uses Magneto's power to disrupt all systems, and the X-Men sneak into the alien dimension, planning to kill Remy; he, meanwhile, charges a rock and tries to collapse the building on himself, but the force field is reestablished.

  Rogue fights off Magneto's personality, but she enjoys being him. Davis ports her away as the aliens attack her.

  The X-Men see an armada of huge alien craft and worry; Heather's distraught that she's become a gold metal bird and lashes out at Sage.

  Ororo lets Khan kiss her but says the X-Men will resist him; she knows her handmaidens are her jailors, and she uses her ability to see energy to trace the citadel's security systems.

  Shaitan doubts Khan's plan, for him to impersonate Ororo and offer the X-Men a chance to join them. Khan agrees he can kill them when they refuse.

  Neither Neal nor Lucas chose to shoot Remy when they had a chance; Sage uses her virtual computer to locate Ororo and explains Khan's towers form a string through the dimensions. Worlds that surrender become paradise; those that resist are desolated. She wonders which they should choose.

  Note: The Call of Duty follows.