"SOME OF THOSE THAT WORK FORCES
ARE THE SAME THAT BURN CROSSES"
-Rage Against The Machine, 'Killing In The Name'
"The first bit of truth out of Lyin' Auteme's mouth.
Remember.
Our eyes see what they see,
Your ears hear what they hear.
You just heard it straight out of Lyin' Auteme's mouth.
She stood there and watched.
She stood there at Csilla, and watched.
And now she dares to say she "suspects" I wasn't there."
...He wasn't.
"That my family wasn't torn from my hands by the Brotherhood."
...They weren't.
"That Csilla, my homeworld, my birthplace, my planet, wasn't destroyed in front of my eyes."
...Okay, that happened, actually.
But he watched it on a holoscreen like most of us. A story for another time, maybe.
"This Establishment, that's what they do. They're all friends, family, lovers, a clique, a buddy system, no matter their beliefs - all of them working in collusion to work the endgame through backdoors, secret rooms, hidden deals. All to remain in power. That's all they want. I've never stood next to not one, but two Chancellors and watched our worlds be destroyed. The Senator of Epoch has, but no, not me. I was in the mud, on the ground, a simple man working an honest job until the day the MAW came. What has changed in so many Chancellorships, with people like Auteme advising them?
She stood there.
She watched.
She's still standing here,
and she's still watching.
Doing nothing.
Because this game was rigged from the start. We all know it is. They want you to believe your votes don't matter. It's the tactic they rely on most."
He pointed his sweaty forefinger at her face.
"COLLUDER!"
He turned to her goon, Disgraced Oompa Loompa Cosplayer Kishimoto.
"COLLUDER!"
He turned to the mild spoken Senator Leto.
"COLLUDER!"
"You all laugh at me in one breath and warn against how serious I am in the next. Pick a lane, already.
You have rigged this game, you are in Tithe's pockets, with your crony friends whining about insults and respect, and we ALL know the endgame. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and you'll send us all out to die for your wars and your terrible leadership. Return the warmongering to the professionals, she says.
What are these professionals doing now? Why does she say this? Are our Generals and Admirals not being listened to? How the kark is that JUST NOW a policy - is this why we're losing so badly?
...Are they just licking Tithe's boots clean? Am I the only one wondering?
We don't have answers because the game has already concluded -
- this election isn't free, nor fair. It's not even a democratic election.
It's a coronation.
Tithe's Puppet Queen promises you change.
But our eyes see. Our ears hear. Out of her own lying, nasty mouth, just moments ago.
She's been here the whole time.
She's been watching the whole time.
She's been standing at the top next to multiple Chancellors, advising them all.
Now she thinks it's her turn to be crowned.
There will BE NO CHANGE. Her promises are LIES. We're still losing. She wants power and her buddies want her to have it, so she can coronate the next washed up geezer after.
We're weak.
Her clique expects you to be good little boys and girls and just press yes.
Just accept it.
Just take it, good little boys and girls.
And honestly, why not?
You're just trash to them. Trash to step over as they walk into their backrooms.
Who are you, to stand up?
...They don't expect you to go wild. They don't expect you to breathe fire.
...And they didn't expect me.
Even now they block our people from standing up here, showing you their faces, our solidarity. Shields, security and all."
Fal flashes a smile at the crowd, that pattened, trademarked wide grin that had most mothers at home swooning for the shiny blue Senator. He had stopped talking as if he was done, but was still smiling as his hands came up to his mic, removing it from the podium and it's stand and laying it gently on the cupboard below as the mic feedback thumped against the crowd's auditory response. He pointed in the crowd, and the lone orphan who knew what sign to watch for nodded. Portable audio began blasting rebellious metal jizz music throughout the chamber.
NOW YOU DO WHAT THEY TOLD YA
Fal was walking around his podium as the Moderator quietly began murmuring to his panel, covering his mic to hide the words they were sharing. They seemed to be inquisitive, panicky possibly, but the crowd was dead silent with expectation.
NOW YOU DO WHAT THEY TOLD YA
The drums came in on the jizz rock track, as Fal Gore detached the mic stand and several audible gasps came from the audience.
NOW YOU DO WHAT THEY TOLD YA
The blue and red starred curtain at the back of the stage was pushed to the side, revealing several audio and electronic technicians looking bewildered, as a distant Fal Gore was seen walking to the simple shield generator and its backup placed on the floor.
Swing.
NOW YOU'RE UNDER CONTROL
Drum solo came in as Security Guards frantically made their way through the crowd looking for the stealthy orphan carrying the music.
Sweat began to flood through the lower back of Fal's pale white shirt as he slaved away at destroying the shield generators.
Swing.
NOW YOU DO WHAT THEY TOLD YA
A loud hiss as both shields went down, with a few screams emanating from the crowd in horror as Fal dropped the mic stand with a clatter and walked past the dead shield to join the orphans. He wiped away a single orphan's tear and then clasped Toby and Grendel on the shoulder, standing in front of them and facing the podiums. He had grabbed his loose mic on the way down.
NOW YOU'RE UNDER CONTROL
Fal, a bit out of breath for a second, still managed to flash his smile while speaking calmly. He took the time first to wipe a tear from one of the orphan's eyes, while clasping another on the shoulder.
"I think I'll finish up this debate from down here, thank you."
He opened his arms up wide in front of the people, a challenging gesture towards those three Senators who were still standing on stage.
KARK YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME
Toby
, coming to a stop before the podium and, as instructed, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down the crowd. He wore his NJO leather jacket, the insignia on the shoulder unmistakable.
