91 Welcome to the Empire, part 2/2

POV Citizen Bob:

Bob, an average man in his thirties, moved alongside a vast sea of people, each one's face reflecting the same hollow dread. No one was smiling or laughing, the lifeless expressions on their faces—the anxiety so thick it almost turned material.

Everyone was silent, not daring to speak, feeling like any word might be used against them.

'Why are we here? Why did they drag us out?' Bob pondered. Ever since the Empire took control, martial law has silenced their once-vibrant planet.

The ambient sounds were punctuated only by the loud, propaganda-infused announcements, "Renounce your allegiance to the corrupted Federation. Cleanse your streets of their influence!"

"Halt!" The command echoed. Imperial soldiers, in their intimidating black armor, formed a perimeter around the crowd. The dangerous purple glint of their weapons was evident, even if not directly aimed at the crowd.

'Would they shoot us if we tried something?'

Frantically, Bob scanned the crowd, hoping for a familiar face or a possible way out, but to no avail. He felt alone, despite being surrounded by thousands.

'This wretched Empire!'

Reaching a vast square, the crowd came to a standstill. A podium stood at its center, hidden from Bob's view by the human bodies before him. Then, a blinding flash lit up the sky, revealing a massive hologram mirroring the very same podium.

Bob's heart raced. 'What do they want? Humiliate us even more?'

'What now? Another tactic to belittle us?' Bob's heart pounded.

The silence in the square was palpable, broken only by the hum of the hologram's machinery.

A silver-adorned officer, whose badge displayed three radiant moons, confidently stood on the podium, surrounded by countless soldiers in polished black armor and long purple capes. "People of this world," he declared, his voice resonating. "Your allegiance to the Federation ends today. You now belong to the Empire."

Bob's gut tightened. He saw tears forming in some eyes as reality set in.

'Our planet... now in the hands of these tyrants.'

Bob felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his neighbor, an old man named Giles. The old man whispered, "They may control our streets and our skies, but they will never control our spirit." Bob nodded in agreement, hoping that one day they could free themselves from the shackles of the empire.

The officer stepped back, signaling with a hand gesture. Within moments, a procession of bound people was violently dragged onto the podium by the imperial soldiers.

Their uniforms and suits were dirty and tattered, and their faces were bruised and weary.

'Isn't that young master Karkoskak?' He immediately recognized the identity of the man in the center—a young heir to a large construction company.

The officer took a step forward, pulling out a scroll-like device that expanded into a holographic screen with written text. The projection illuminated his emotionless face, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance with each flicker of light.

"Citizens," he began, his voice echoing with the weight of his authority. "These Federation officials stand accused of the following charges under the jurisdiction of the Empire."

There was a pause, a dramatic effect that was clearly meant to heighten the tension in the square.

"Conspiring against the Empire, spreading propaganda and slander against our divine emperor and imperial leaders, misusing resources, and abusing their undeserved privilege."

As much as Bob despised the Empire, seeing Karkoskak's downfall evoked a certain satisfaction: 'A bastard who evicted entire families for his damn projects!'

A hushed silence descended upon the crowd as a platinum-haired girl with striking lilac eyes emerged. Her long hair, her black imperial coat, and her knees moving in the wind, emblems, and decorations of her ranks glittering under the sunlight.

Bob whispered to Giles, knowing he used to serve in the Federation's navy, "Who is she?"

Giles replied quietly, "An Imperial Knight. They're elite enforcers of the Empire. They are all scary, and—"

Giles's words were abruptly cut off when another nearby shouted, "Hold on! Isn't she the lunatic who broke out of the asylum?"

A shiver raced down Bob's spine. Stories of the crazed woman causing chaos resurfaced in his memory. The chilling realization that she now wielded such authority was mind-numbing. 'Could it truly be her? She belongs to a padded cell, yet they've granted her dominion!'

The man burst into flames and yelled, bursting into flames. The fire devoured his entire body in a matter of seconds, sending him screaming to the ground.

"Ahhh!"

In panic, Bob stepped back, feeling the heat on his skin. The cacophony of yells and cries for help resounded through the crowd as everyone retreated backward from the human torch.

Bob glanced at the soldiers, anticipating intervention. But they remained statuesque, exuding blind loyalty.

'Are they going this maniac to just let him die? Is this the Empire?'