Post by Colonel Crimson on Mar 3, 2018 17:03:45 GMT -6
When she was a girl, the child who would become Colonel Crimson had hated her home. It was a quiet place, unimportant, with no particular noteworthy characteristics and few things of which to be proud. Now that she was older, she was pleased to see how much she had been able to transform the sleepy backwater in just a few short weeks of command.
Where once the atmosphere had been warm and welcoming, now the tension was so thick that you could feel its fingers crawling down your spine. Once, neighbours didn’t even bother locking their doors. Now, guards were posted on checkpoints at all the entrances to the village, and her uniformed troops were a ubiquitous presence.
When she was a girl, the worst crime to have been committed was when old Shep accused Rolf of stealing one of his chickens.
Today, they were going to have a hanging.
The entire square was filled with people. Work was temporarily paused on the new construction projects, to allow them the time they needed to come out and see this in person. Noon was the traditional time for such things, and the sun was high in the sky when the Colonel strode out onto the hastily-erected platform, and looked out over the faces of her subjects.
There was such a mix of emotions, there. Fear. Anger. Disgust. These people were soft, they didn’t understand why this was necessary. It was an open secret that she’d killed the Mayor and the drunk police officer who used to represent the village’s ties to greater society, but she’d done it quietly, in private, where nobody could see.
This Assemblyman was right there, with a noose around his neck, so badly beaten that he couldn’t even ask for help from the crowd; though if she had the measure of the man, his pride wouldn’t have allowed him to do so anyway.
“People of Woodford.” She said, her expression solemn and serious. “When we set out on this journey together, I told you it wasn’t going to be an easy one. If we are going to unite our people, then we must be firm! If we are going to take back what is ours from the liars and thieves who claim to rule us, we must not be afraid to use force.”
She pointed to the man behind her.
“Assemblyman Reece came to our village to tell us that we had no right to live our lives the way we choose. He came here to tell us that we had to submit to the Assembly and pay their taxes. He came here to tell you, that I am a criminal, and anyone who follows me deserves death.”
The first shouted cries of ‘Boo!’ and ‘Down with the Assembly!’ were soon picked up by the mob. How quickly fear could turn to outrage, with just a few plants to lead the way.
“Assemblyman Reece is an enemy of Woodford.” She shouted, her voice impressively audible over the rising noise from the crowd, “Assemblyman Reece is an enemy of the Scarlet Brigade, a traitor to Earth, and he will be put to death!”
The mob bayed for it. There were still individual faces which looked scared, fearful, or horrified by the bloodlust of their friends and neighbours… she made a careful mental note of them. But, it was doubtful it would matter for long. She was going to spark a flame in this village, but she had no intention of being around when the pyre was fully lit.
Majin Mumbo Maple
Where once the atmosphere had been warm and welcoming, now the tension was so thick that you could feel its fingers crawling down your spine. Once, neighbours didn’t even bother locking their doors. Now, guards were posted on checkpoints at all the entrances to the village, and her uniformed troops were a ubiquitous presence.
When she was a girl, the worst crime to have been committed was when old Shep accused Rolf of stealing one of his chickens.
Today, they were going to have a hanging.
The entire square was filled with people. Work was temporarily paused on the new construction projects, to allow them the time they needed to come out and see this in person. Noon was the traditional time for such things, and the sun was high in the sky when the Colonel strode out onto the hastily-erected platform, and looked out over the faces of her subjects.
There was such a mix of emotions, there. Fear. Anger. Disgust. These people were soft, they didn’t understand why this was necessary. It was an open secret that she’d killed the Mayor and the drunk police officer who used to represent the village’s ties to greater society, but she’d done it quietly, in private, where nobody could see.
This Assemblyman was right there, with a noose around his neck, so badly beaten that he couldn’t even ask for help from the crowd; though if she had the measure of the man, his pride wouldn’t have allowed him to do so anyway.
“People of Woodford.” She said, her expression solemn and serious. “When we set out on this journey together, I told you it wasn’t going to be an easy one. If we are going to unite our people, then we must be firm! If we are going to take back what is ours from the liars and thieves who claim to rule us, we must not be afraid to use force.”
She pointed to the man behind her.
“Assemblyman Reece came to our village to tell us that we had no right to live our lives the way we choose. He came here to tell us that we had to submit to the Assembly and pay their taxes. He came here to tell you, that I am a criminal, and anyone who follows me deserves death.”
The first shouted cries of ‘Boo!’ and ‘Down with the Assembly!’ were soon picked up by the mob. How quickly fear could turn to outrage, with just a few plants to lead the way.
“Assemblyman Reece is an enemy of Woodford.” She shouted, her voice impressively audible over the rising noise from the crowd, “Assemblyman Reece is an enemy of the Scarlet Brigade, a traitor to Earth, and he will be put to death!”
The mob bayed for it. There were still individual faces which looked scared, fearful, or horrified by the bloodlust of their friends and neighbours… she made a careful mental note of them. But, it was doubtful it would matter for long. She was going to spark a flame in this village, but she had no intention of being around when the pyre was fully lit.
Majin Mumbo Maple
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