Intervention by Sicks, Akio Saito, and D'Leoh
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Originally Published on April 3rdth, 2488
The streets on the Cocoon Station, crowded with people of all backgrounds, and appearances: mutants, humans, cyborgs, and even synthetics. Among them, a female presence that had made waves during the celebration the night before, stood out and addressed the crowd.
"We, the Children of Elysium, are here before you with heavy hearts this evening. We have no venue on this station which is not wrought with death, crime or violence. This type of life is unacceptable for the citizens of Cocoon, human, cyborg, bioroid, synthetic, and digital AI alike. No longer can we sit by idle, letting these corporations and criminal riff raffs take our livelihoods and in many cases our very lives from us. So tonight, people of Cocoon, you have a voice! That voice is backed by the power of the Children of Elysium... And Together, WE ARE STRONG!"
She looked out over the crowd as the people pumped their fists. Her own lifting into the air, a combination of tungsten and fibrous tendon curling tightly.
"This is our revolution tonight! This is our primal scream to rock the technological juggernauts! They will listen, because they are no longer able to feign ignorance, and run from their responsibility! Which is US. THIS STATION. AND OUR SECURITY! Tell us about Cocoon, Arboria, and OTB... Where were your resources when the hoverbike gangs were beating citizens in the street, beating them for their credit sticks as they walked from the ATM? Yet, you would still come for the rent, for the sewer and water tax, for the life support tax! BUT NO LONGER! YOU. WILL. PROVIDE. US. WITH. SECURITY. AND. CONFIDENCE. Let them all hear us! What do we want? SECURITY!"
She pumped her fist forward into the air, its surface still burning from the polyester which had melted to it from the explosion.
"SECURITY!"
The crowd joined in, the shouts echoing down the streets passed Bunkr, the empty AICHI building, the people at the Luxxon moving to look out their windows, at the gathering crowd.
"SECURITY! WHEN DO WE WANT IT!?""
She pointed a finger to the crowd, which resounded in the thousands.
"NOW!"
She lifted her hands to silence the crowd, looking towards the corporate high rises, watching the lights flipping on and the small specks of people moving to their windows.
"I think they're hearing us, citizens! Make no mistake, that until these cowards act the Children of Elysium are your humble servants, and we will provide to you the necessities you need to survive. Water, Food, Clothing. It will all be here soon. If you have a need, contact the office of the Community Representative, Akio Saito. We will be working closely with him, to establish a new community! One where we don't have to be afraid of being shot while we walk to work, rogue synthetics attempting to destroy our entertainment venues, or being murdered by cowards on our lunch breaks!"
She began to pump her fist.
"E-LY-SI-UM!"
The fist pump began to flow in the crowd, and the voices of thousands of angry citizens began to chant. She looked over to D'Leoh, with a bright smile on her face. Then her gaze traveled to Akio, whom she had just put on point like the New Guy. She nodded to him, as she stepped away from the podium-leaving the responsibility of calming the crowd to him. As she passed, she whispered something into his ear, then she began to walk towards the emergency aid tables, where she would begin helping to serve hot meals to those left homeless and jobless by the attack. Akio, who had his face bandaged after the incident, hesitates momentarily, only to nod and decide to address the crowd.
"Such cases of criminality are not exactly new... In a Station like this, and many others, shady practices open the door for events like this, and it's always the same people that lose more than anyone else: The innocents, those who try to make a living and have no more choice but to live their lives one day at a time"
The crowd slowly quiets down, as if they are attempting to listen to what he had to say.
"When the Collision Incident happened a few months back, I was new in my functions as Community Representative, I was overwhelmed, I wanted to do everything, anything, to help. But I was just one man, I tried conveying a message of help through public comm channels, only to receive scoff from those who haven't had to work one day in their lives and were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I was there when tons of steel and concrete crushed the victims of Sector Two, dubbed as Chinatown. I tried to help in any way I can, I tried everything, I'd have given anything to see them make it out alright... The corporation in charge of Security back then didn't dispatch any Personnel until after the most important Sectors were secured first, I ask you, what makes a sector more important than others? A life is a life, and it was until pressure was built up that security personnel were dispatched there. Many of you may remember that I personally handled improvised shelters. It was a random incident some may say, so now I ask, what is the excuse for this? Devastated families, orphaned children. LIVES cut short with a flash of light."
The crowd comes to a complete silence, still listening in, as he looks at them, as if looking for someone in particular.
"My face bears witness to this infamous incident. From now on, I will take all of your blood, your tears, your ashes, your suffering with me, everywhere I go, as a reminder of everything that has happened here, and everything that should never happen again... I am destining most of the resources available to me as Community Representative to build a new community, food, water, clothing, humane living conditions... I promise you, I will go to whatever extent to guarantee that every man, woman, and child in the station are granted safe living conditions... The Housing Project was only the beginning. Now, let's get to work!"
The crowd cheers as the Community Representative steps down and starts talking to the Fire Suppression Teams, a moment of silence invades the place as the next person to take a stand is D'Leoh. By now, many were familiar with the enigmatic Prophet, a one time artist and social elite, has had a very rough wake up call, losing everything including their identity. The words that were previously spoken by Sicks had managed to prepare the crowd for the Prophet.
"My children, my friends, words can not express the feeling of loss I am experiencing right now... I came here, with hopes to meet others in their moment of happiness, to connect to one another, in spite of our external differences. The Heirs have revealed to me that unity is the only way to ensure survival. We, the Children of Elysium seek not only survival, but perfection and our own evolution. We extend our hand to you, the people, in this most challenging time. The feelings of loss, of anger, and sadness, will never leave us, but together, we can heal.Together, we can stand united. Together, and with the help of every single one of you, we can make a difference, turn every single personal hell into a beautiful Elysium, our Promised Land. Seek us out, no matter who you are, no matter what you are, no matter where you come from. We will give you a home, and we will give you a purpose. As blood continues to stain my clothes, my body, and my very soul, I assure you I will do everything I can, everything in my power, to place the blessing of The Heirs upon you. Open your hearts, open your minds. We have a new future together."
The crowd erupts in cheers as the Prophet gives a deep bow and steps down, with the image fading to black.