75 The Clock Tolls, Midnight has Come
What had made man go so far?
"Face the wall, sir."
When liberty has fallen under the rejection of the people, one must ask how a radical change could undo the basic freedoms of the citizens.
"Make sure the blindfold is tightened. Their staring eyes make you hesitate."
Their basic needs were unfulfilled - the betrayal of the selfish and greedy that were supposed to help them. Were these the sparks for the rise of an autocrat within a defunct system?
"Take aim!"
People will never know for sure.
"Fire!"
*BANG!*
Six men land on the ground, and their last words were the begging for a higher power to forgive them. The smoking end of the barrels left a fierce trail of white as the crowd roared in support or stared in indifference.
It had been only decades since the council governmental body had been enforced on Atlas through the aftermath of the Great War. Defeated and left to the whims of the self-interests of the influential - Atlas had fallen in decline on the inside.
It was a prosperous society made of paper mache. Only a gleaming image on the outside but a hollow core in the midst of that golden age.
Many if not all the citizens in Mantle suffered under this inequality while Atlesians above them were blind to what their parents and ancestors were doing to Mantle; the exploitation of cheaper labor, the racism that was encouraged, and many more further strained the backbone of Atlas.
It was an industry that was built with inequality and decadence in mind.
"Send the next ones in. Don't add in the blindfold for this one."
Revealed in droves - shreds of evidence of backroom intrigue or turning a blind eye to dealings from within, the council was filled with positions of people not interested in giving better lives to who they governed but to further their own.
The soldier approached the next in line and recognized the person to be executed.
"Ironwood, how far you have fallen. To think you were considered a Hero once before everyone knew how much of a snake you are. At least you get to join your friends when you leave this world."
"I have done nothing wrong! I couldn't do anything to help it, I did what I could to help Atlas!"
"So you knew of their motives yet you stood and watched while benefiting yourself. No wonder why the Fuhrer and his Reichsministers arrested you that day."
"You know that isn't the whole truth! That thing is not a-"
The gunstock of the soldier's gun jogs the old Generals head. It stuns him and disorientated his sight as the soldier grabs Ironwood's unkempt hair.
"Respect the wisdom and will of the Fuhrer. We are not those and that; Faunus, Human or Machine, we are all here to exterminate the plague that is Grimm. We all live and die to receive our birthright, we are all people of the Volksreich."
"Filthy Grim sympathizer." Another soldier spat out.
The soldier adorned in black slams the tired and weary Ironwood to the wall. His head is bruised under the pain as the man forcefully gags him and turns him to face the crowd.
"Hail Victory."
It was a time of true change in the world. A source of inspiration and a realization to many. Technology had advanced so far and society had adapted to what it truly yearned for.
Extremism was subject that even we know the effects of but when dealing with another world so far from your own, no doubt it had been inevitable that such an experimental ideology was put into place. Such was the fate of Atlas.
"Take aim!"
In a world full of monsters, they had sought to fight back - the wishes of those had come to fruition as a new age had begun for Remnant.
A man stood high above the crowds of people, in a uniform that both are similar yet different from the other 6 around him.
His mechanical human-like body shifted as he grips his hand tight while the crowd cheers and showers words of praise. The bell rang out as the final hour was upon the world, the clock had struck midnight - darkness has settled in the world.
"Moderator, you were right." The man utters.
"Fire!"
*BANG!*
The crowd silences before raising their volumes as the men on the execution platform fall to the ground drenched in blood.
He turns to his Reichsministers. "It will all be necessary. Total war is upon us, am I to assume you are all aware of all of this?"
"Yes, Hanns."
The ends justified the means, a unified world against a threat that culled them for years. The group of leaders was left unfeeling to the executions happening below, it was a necessary evil - for the true good of the world, or so they thought.
"We are at the point of no return."
Among the bellows of support from Faunus and Humans alike below, above were located the people who had changed the world - standing inside a house... in Neu Berlin. (Yes, this is a reference.)
[Declaration of A New Order: Progress 100%]
[Event Active!]
[Endsieg 0/1]
~
Months earlier...
Hanns' mind hovered over the third choice from his head. He was curious and intrigued by the description.
[Option 3: Declaration of A New Order]
'This... Moderator, you usually don't do choices like this. I've never seen a quest where I could choose.'
[I wanted to see something, friend. I see the direction of where you are going to go. Then, I got inspired - you had plans in mind didn't you? So let's make it a choice.]
'I had thought of doing this but it just seems so risky. The bonus of assimilating the Atlesian army is nice. 100% Loyalty is very good, they listen and there's no risk of corruption because of Loyalty.'
[I know. That's why I put it in there. You're such an interesting person to watch, If you looked at yourself from when you got here - you wouldn't recognize yourself.]
'...What does that mean? That doesn't have anything to do with this.'
[Nothing. There's a reason why I picked you of all people, friend.]
'That's even more suspicious. How do you even make an answer the most non-answer ever?' Seconds passed with no response.
'Damn it, Moderator. Why do you keep disappearing like a father getting milk?'
Hanns looked over the choices again, reassessing what could go wrong and what benefits it could give. He was seriously considering the 3rd option, maybe a little of the 1st one.
'The third option may not be the best in terms of safety but it has the best potential. Fully controlling a country and eventually uniting the world is going to be my answer to Salem's forces.'
Then he swiped mentally to the 1st. 'This would make sense but even that has risks. Leaving the population alone might look like a good option at the surface level but that's asking for even more anarchy if groups were to form.'
Hanns looks back at his team preparing to leave and some were waiting around like Neo and Torchwick. Hanns was truly being the leader when they awaited his orders before doing anything.
'Hmmm… a power vacuum always leaves a country in a mess unless I take control myself. Who knows what kind of political parties would spring up after this siege? Unrest is already at its highest, and society is going through a massive shift. Anyone could rise to inspire a merry band of people to take up being the president with or without violence. Plus, the council members are still influential.'
'So complicated, I need to choose my steps carefully if I choose the 3rd option.' Hanns then sighed out loud, enough for the team apart from Blake to hear it.
"Hanns, what's wrong? Are the deaths of your soldiers that shocking to you?" Weiss peeked from the side of Hanns' tank.
"Yes but that's not what I am worried about. What happens next is my question. Atlas would fall under its own weight if I don't make sure I can do this properly."
"Well, we're always here. It's not like you're going through this alone. It's my country where I was born and where my life is, I can't see it fall now."
"Right…" Hanns nodded as he blared his engines. "Call Winter and Blake, they are handling the aftermath but I need them here. Also, I have someone I need to talk to as well."
"Who is it, Hanns?"
"Get me Pietro Polendina."
It was an odd request - of all the people being called, a scientist or pharmacist-owner in Mantle was not one anyone would think of when handling an in-progress revolution.
They followed his order without question though. Everyone was used to Hanns being enigmatic in what he was asking people to do for him.
~
"So do you all know why you're here?"
"Lunchbox, we've been standing here for the past half an hour and you've been staring out the window for a while now. You don't say anything important when asking for a meeting."
Hanns was indeed inside a military installment within the city of Atlas, given permission to stay alone by Winter. It overlooked the city and everyone was holding a meeting there.
"We're here to discuss what's going to happen now. Winter, I assume you are uncertain of the Atlesian military now that Ironwood has been arrested."
Winter had dropped her usual formality in front of Hanns to his request since he wasn't used to people speaking to him like he was actually someone respectable - Hanns being a gamer and all.
"There's a lot of uncertainty indeed, the military has already splintered into sects that support their commanding officer to become the representative in the council seat. Even then, the council may not exist after this."
Hanns had a smirk forming, if only he had a mouth. "Well, let's just say that won't be a problem once we're done with this."
It was a sinister remark that no one could decipher the real meaning of. "Hanns…" Ruby worryingly asked. "…are we going to kill them?"
'Hah!?'
"What? No! They are way too valuable to murder. Where did you get that idea from? Besides, I'm not going to do anything drastic like killing anyone without talking to you all."
'Yet...'
"Sorry, it's just I thought this is the direction we are headed."
"That's why I called you here, where are we going from now? I need your input. I have 3 trains of thought I'd like for you to talk about. 1 is that we leave the population alone to make a new system, 2 is that we actively participate by making Winter our representative, or 3 we stabilize the country by creating… a dictatorship."
To his surprise, everyone considered the choices seriously, even the last one. Especially since it was one of the more radical ideas.
"Lunchbox, from what I saw during our stay in Atlas Academy - the people there are aware of the problems in the council. I doubt it's the same in Mantle since it's severely underdeveloped educationally but everyone has been spreading around that the council republic is dying. Uniting the people under a strong leader that has the common good in mind would be better at stabilizing a shitty situation, lest we risk more Grimm sniffing out negative emotions."
Weiss almost groaned at Torchwick's statement. "Although I regret accepting anything Torchwick is related to, I agree with him. We need to take control and ensure Atlas won't fall further into disarray."
Neo raised her hand and signed out in agreement with Torchwick.
Ruby offered her concern, she had doubts about the way freedom was being stripped away from the people. "Would that make people trust us though? I don't like how we're acting so much like villains."
"Red, this is the real world. You may have in mind about us being heroes that do good but that isn't the case. I've told you before you should get rid of that naivety of yours. Hanns already told you before that there's no good or wrong."
"Torchwick is right." Hanns replied. "I'm making the mother of all omelets here, Ruby. Can't fret over every egg. Besides, I have a plan that will settle down the distrust we're going to make."
Ruby had always known she had second thoughts and was uncertain of telling them. "Is this what it takes for us to defeat the Grimm? It's not that I don't want to follow you Hanns… but is this right?"
"Yes… people have been divided for too long. The Great War happened because of the self-interest of separate nations. Even the Late Great King of Vale had interests that did not align with the greater good. Unification is a required action that will be the answer to everything. I will do anything to finally end the Grimm threat, even when it ends the freedoms of man and faunus alike."
Ruby's mind went in circles. She gripped the cloth on her uniform, rubbing the insignia representing her stitched on the upper right of her torso. "Okay… Hanns. What do we need to do?"
"So you are all prepared to do this? There's no going back once we all decide to follow through with my plans."
"I have one question."
"Pietro, sorry again for asking you to come here in such a short time. Is something concerning you?"
"I do. At the same time, I do agree with stabilizing the current situation. Are you sure you won't go too far? Something like this hasn't been tested out. Even Vale's king after winning the Great War didn't exercise his authority to pursue unification."
"By too far, what exactly do you mean?"
"…You will know when you start having doubts about your actions."
"…I won't go too far, the goal is not to press further into subjugation but by making the people accept a new status quo. Changing the world will always have its setbacks but I will make sure it won't be a problem."
Pietro was always one to care about people, he voluntarily left the luxurious life in Atlas to help the downtrodden in Mantle. "Okay, I trust you. I'm glad you didn't kill my daughter even when Ironwood implanted a failsafe on her. You have my support."
'Right, here we go.' Hanns mentally clicked on the choices he was presented with. It turned the display back to his HUD and showed into sight.
[Option 3: Declaration of A New Order]
[Confirm?]
'Yes.'
[Event Active!]
[Declaration of A New Order: Progress 0%]
|
[Solitas Rex Awakening: 21 Days]
[Description: The combined negativity elicited from the siege and the world's reaction from your hostile takeover will awaken ancient Grimm slumbering all over Remnant, and the first of 4 will reemerge from the frozen lake in the center of the Solitas continent where Atlas is. One that even Salem cannot control.]
|
[Civil War Imminent: 14 Days]
[Description: A war will break out if you do not address the situation well. Finish [Seizing Control], [A Campaign of Extremism], [Mass Arrests], [Council Under Heel] to avoid total collapse. This is a test of your will and humanity. Remnant must be indivisible, bloodshed is unavoidable. Each required quest has its own subquests related to it.]
[Seizing Control 0/1]
[A Campaign of Extremism 0/1]
[Mass Arrests 0/1]
[Council Under Heel 0/1]
[Restructuring 0/1]
[The Größeres Volksreich 0/1]
[Announce your Presence 0/1]
[Purging of a Thousand 0/1]
'Hahahaha… Moderator, you cheeky bastard. You're not exactly making things easy, are we? If you don't reward me for each of these quests I'm going to be so mad.'
Hanns went into action, scrolling through each quest separately and prioritizing which ones he should do - saving the more extreme ones for last.
He was a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will. Hanns hadn't slept for almost weeks since he doesn't need it, only doing so when he gets tired mentally.
Now, his mind was excited for once. A challenge was always welcomed and it seemed like Hanns was actually looking forward to overcoming the Moderator's challenges.
"Everyone."
The crew stood still and had their eyes locked on the tank in question.
"If you have a scroll with you, take notes. We're going to be busy. First, does anyone here know how to run a militarized secret police?"
"Uhhh..."
