Topic: Fervor

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-09-22 09:07 EST
((Mature 18+ rating for descriptions of violence.))

The genocide of the human race.

Her ears still rang with Francis" words despite the warbling tinnitus that was a lingering reminder of the bomb that had gone off only twenty-four hours before. Unlike the day before, Dianna did not have to face the masses of Rhydin City at such an early hour. Instead she stood at the sink of the palatial bathroom that connected to an even more extravagant bedroom suite just beyond the gilded door to her left. Her reflection stared back at her and there the two stood for nearly ten minutes without moving. Without the airbrushed makeup that she was seldom seen without, the vibrant purple bruise along the side of her jaw and cheekbone stood out against her pale skin. If she tipped her head to the side slightly, she could see where it was yellowing on the edges, already healing thanks to the nanites in her blood. It would likely be gone before the sun set on the quaint little backwater town but for now it was a blooming reminder of all she had lost and all she could gain.

In Sector-IV, Braemian sunrises were soft shades of violet and gold while the sunsets painted the sky with fire, brilliant plumes of crimson and burnt orange unfurling across the horizon until the entire canopy was lit with the dying day. In Rhydin, they varied by the day and the weather pattern, offering a chaotic glimpse into the tangled threads that held a place so close to the Nexus" center together. There was no order, only mismatched puzzle pieces crammed together in ways that didn't align with their edges.

Do we continue to hide and pray to those higher above as our people are murdered and fed upon on the streets"

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it," she said softly to her reflection who mouthed the words back in sync with her. The day the demons came to Braemia, the streets were painted red in much the same way the skies lit up scarlet before nightfall. They broke down doors, tore people from their beds, devoured children in front of their parents. But for all of Braemia's diversity, the only ones touched were pureblood humans. The shifters, the fae, the mutts, all untouched.

It was an attack on humanity itself.

Do each and every one of you wish to continue being the prey' Or will you rise up and take a firm grasp of your own destiny"

Her mother, her brother, her sister, all murdered. Dianna and her father had barely escaped through the roof hatch. Their home sat upon the highest hill and as she stumbled into the emergency pod with her father at the helm, she could see all of the destruction wrought upon the city. Houses burned, terrified people spilled from their homes and into the streets, she wanted to look away but she couldn't. Beside her, her father wept.

"Don't cry, Papa....don't cry," she had told him, still unable to tear her eyes from scene before. A teenaged boy, only a year or two older than fifteen-year-old Dianna, was torn in half by a cleaving swipe of a demon hand, the great creature's razor sharp claws shredding through flesh like it was softened butter. Behind him, a small boy had been cowering but as the older boy's body fell, he was left exposed. He couldn't run fast enough to escape. As the demon's jaws shut, Di finally cringed away. Where her father felt sorrow, she felt only rage.

"I'll make it better, I promise. Never will these people suffer the same fate," she spoke to her reflection again. Her fingers touched tenderly to her jaw but she didn't wince. The pain was minimal compared to those who had been more grievously injured and nothing compared to death. How Francis had pushed forward to help others when he had been hurt too just proved to Dianna that the needs of the people should and would come before her own. Much like he had swooped in to Sector-IV and eliminated the threat of certain extinction for the humans of Braemia and several other surrounding planets, he would save Rhydin too.

My injuries mean nothing compared to the damage done to our people, and I will wear them solemnly as a testament to those we lost today.

Dianna lifted her chin. The bruises, the sprains, they were temporary. They were a small price to pay for the movement. If it cost her her last breath, then so be it for it wouldn't be in vain. No. Humanity would prevail.

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-09-24 20:51 EST
"Miss Faulkner, we said an hour."

"I know."

Her visit to the Inn had been more productive than the last one but it had still been awkward at best. A few had talked to her, more had known who she was, and all in all it was like being the elephant in the room. Dianna had heard about elephants but never had she seen one. They were supposed to be intelligent creatures. Observant, feeling beings that just so happened to be unable to express themselves in a way that others understood. Maybe she had more in common with them than initially thought.

"Longer than that and we run the risk of compromised security."

"I know."

The Inn was fading behind them, giving way to the densely clustered homes and businesses of the greater Dragon's Gate area. Calvin McKinney and Maurice Bradshaw had waited for nearly twice their time limit for Dianna to rejoin them. The boss wouldn't like it if he found out. Ever since the bombing in Dockside, Francis had been particularly protective of his second in command. She wasn't to leave their sight for longer than sixty minutes at any time if they were outside of the small compound that served as the temporary home of the Humanity First campaign.

"Something could have happened to you."

"I know."

They flanked either side of her, just outside of her narrow personal bubble but more than close enough to block her should the need arise. It made it difficult to enjoy the crisp air that signaled Autumn's arrival. Instead she was treated to the scent of tobacco from Calvin and the musky cologne that Maurice always liberally applied. It was easy to tune out Calvin's chiding though. Rhydin City was quaint in the way that old towns were. Braemia had been so advanced, full of towering spires and lights that in comparison it felt plastic, fake. The Braemian streets weren't home to children in rags, begging in the shadows of buildings like a pair of schoolaged kids that watched her from a nearby alley. They were dirty and their feet were bare. Both watched her with big blue eyes as the trio passed. Dianna slowed. Calvin and Maurice didn't, faltering a few steps ahead when they realized their ward wasn't keeping up.

"Miss Faulkner."

"I know."

They looked similar enough to be siblings. A boy and a girl. He was close to ten, she was younger, maybe five or six. Shyly, the girl raised a little hand to wave at her. Di curved the girl a smile and nodded gently. In turn, the little girl curled her fingers and beckoned, looking hopeful. After permitting Will Somnia an audience with the fae prisoner who had confessed to the bombing that killed so many, she knew Francis would be expecting an explanation sooner rather than later. Really, she shouldn't have dallied. But she lifted a single index finger to the men.

"Dianna."

"Just a moment, I'll catch up."

Though they progressed no further, they didn't come back for her either, watching as Dianna approached the children. With the day quickly fading, the buildings stretched long shadows, one of which engulfed her fully in its darkness. It made Maurice and Calvin antsy but they could still make her silhouette out as she stepped further in.

"Hello."

The little boy skittered away into the alley but the brave girl with the bright eyes graced Dianna with a pretty smile. Her two front teeth were missing and one on the bottom was beginning to fill in after losing its baby counterpart.

"You're that lady!" The little girl proclaimed, reaching for Dianna's hand. First instinct was to pull away but the girl was so sweet and excited, she instead let the girl slip her smaller fingers into the woman's grasp.

"What lady, dove?" Dianna asked softly. The girl tugged on her arm, pulling her toward the gap between buildings.

"The pretty lady on the TV with the hurt people! We made you something. Come look, come look!" Still pulled, Dianna tried not to stumble over her own feet or any of the detritus that littered the alley's mouth.

"Sweetling, I really shouldn't. I must be going." It was difficult to say no to such an adorable child. She had always wanted children of her own but career before love meant it simply wasn't in the cards.

"P-please" It's here! Right here!" Finally the girl let go, pointing to a lean-to made of cardboard and scrap metal. Did they live there alone" The girl darted through the opening and Di ducked her head to peek inside. As she did, she was grabbed from behind and hauled back from the shanty, an arm crossing her throat and pulling tight until she couldn't breathe. Her feet kicked and her elbows were thrown back, connecting with muscle heavy flesh that gave off the scent of sulfur.

"Did I do good, Papa" Did we get the bad lady?" The little girl poked her head out, looking proud. Her assailant grunted at the child and squeezed his thick arm hard against her throat. Starbursts filled her vision, leaving dark echoes behind with each blink. Fingers grasped and clawed, digging gouges into the man's forearm. He snarled in her ear and spun her around to face him, shoving her against cold brick by her throat.

"Yer kind aren't welcome here. Wanna know what we do t' yer sorts?" He growled, tightening his grip. In the dark, his blue eyes seemed to glow like the hottest part of a flame and in their light she could just make out the curl of horns protruding from his forehead. Her kicking slowed as she fought for air, her hands uselessly trying to pry his fingers away. But Dianna wasn't going to go down without giving it her all and so she dropped one hand, letting the titanium bangle on her wrist slide toward her fingers. They tugged it up toward her palm, feeling for the emergency button in it. Just as she thought she might lose consciousness, she found it and swung her hand for the side of the man's face. As she connected, her thumb pushed and a pulse of energy blew him back away from her. It shoved her hard enough against the wall to cause brick to crack behind her back but he was thrown far enough to leave a massive indentation on the opposite side of the alley. The energy blast had knocked him out cold and blown apart half of the cardboard hut, the destruction drawing the attention of Calvin and Maurice to the alley's entrance.

"Dianna"!" Calvin called as they rushed into the dark. She stumbled toward them, holding her aching throat. Everything hurt but she could breathe. Never did Maurice's cologne smell better as she collapsed against him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back out into the street.

"What happened?"

"I don't know" I don't know??

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-09-24 21:05 EST
As Maurice calmed Dianna down, Calvin called for a car to come collect them. She made sure they got well away from the forsaken alleyway where she had been accosted, and on a much brighter street corner, the heavily tinted, black sedan pulled to a stop. Maurice held the door and Dianna gingerly climbed in. Seated between the two, she looked at the divider between the front and the back and dropped her voice.

"They needn't know about this," she murmured. On either side of her, the men tensed. Calvin looked down and aside to her with a frown.

"Boss isn't gonna—" He was silenced by a lift of Dianna's hand.

"For the greater good, Calvin. We keep this between us."

Neither argued further until they reached headquarters. Just as he had when she got in, Maurice held the door for her. No fanfare met their arrival and gratefully she was able to escape to her office without running into Francis along the way. She couldn't, however, avoid Myantha, her assistance. The half-elf's eyes went wide when she saw Dianna and the blooming bruises encompassing her throat.

"Miss Dianna, what—"

Just as she had silenced Calvin, Dianna raised a single hand. Instantly Myantha quieted.

"It is nothing. I am fine. Are we still on for our interview this evening?" Practiced, level, she held a deadly calm that seemed impossible in the face of what she had experienced.

"Y-yes, ma"am. Do you need me to reschedule?" Myantha asked, already pulling free her comm-pad. Dianna shook her head.

"No. It was merely a stumble. We will prevail. Please have a car ready at a quarter "til." It gave Di almost an hour to collect herself. Myantha nodded, giving Dianna the needed opportunity to slide past the woman and into her office. Inside, she shut and locked the door. She eased herself into the chair behind her desk and there she spent the next thirty minutes trying not to cry.

When quarter ?til arrived, Myantha knocked softly at the door. Barely had her knuckles left the reinforced wood did Dianna open it. She was the picture of poise, not a bruise to be found thanks to expertly applied makeup and a trendy scarf wound around her neck. Without so much as a hair out of place, she was on to the next engagement as if nothing had even happened.

The greater good would prevail.

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-10-04 15:01 EST
Friday night, September 30th.

"Debates are boring, I'm glad it's over." The projected image of the Gubernatorial Debate flickered out of existence with a push of a button.

"Ah, but you know we needed to watch your father speak. It's important, what he's doing."

"I know, but it's boring."

"I suppose it could be." Dianna always found Francis" way of speaking to be absolutely enthralling but she could respect a difference in opinions.

"But the green would be so pretty with your eyes, Dianna!" Up she held a little glass bottle of polish.

"Thank you, really, but nail polish and I do not get along, I'm afraid."

"Let me just try it out on you! And if you don't like it, you can take it off. I promise!" Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.

Dianna and the teenaged girl exchanged looks, a brief standoff that saw the human and the hybrid staring at one another intently. Finally Di sighed.

"Very well, but just this once."

A knock at the door of her office interrupted the pair.

"Yes?" Dianna called. The door opened and there stood Myantha, her eyes wide and her face pale.

"Miss Faulkner, a minute of your time please?"

"Go ahead." She nodded at the half-elf, gesturing for her to continue. Myantha's preternatural gaze darted toward Francis's daughter and back.

"Alone, please?"

Arching a thin brow, Dianna rose and started for the door.

"I'll be right back, I promise." Giving the girl a smile, Di stepped into the hall and closed the office door behind her. "What is it, Mya?"

"It's Mister Collins??

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-10-04 20:43 EST
Myantha's report came to Dianna in snips and clips.

"........." Twenty-fifth and Harbor View Road" " ?"

Life was such a fragile thing.

"...." unknown assailant but it may have been" ?"

There. Gone. So quickly.

"....investigating internally, they're bringing him back now ?"

What would she tell Nitalia"

"...." that's all they really know right now" ?"

Down the hall and through Dianna's office door, a teenaged girl's life was about to be irrevocably changed.

"...." " Miss Faulkner?"

Green had never really been Dianna's color.

"...." Miss Faulkner?"

But it would have brought out Nitalia's eyes.

"....Miss Faulkner."

Blue, like his.

"Dianna."

"What""

"I asked what we're supposed to do from here."

"We do as we always have, Myantha. We will prevail."

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-10-04 21:01 EST
"Lockdown the Dockside headquarters as well as the Stars End base."

Late morning, shortly after Nitalia had finally fallen asleep on the couch in Dianna's office.

"Of course, Miss Faulkner."

A steaming cup of coffee sat on her desk, untouched.

"Nobody goes in or out without my express knowledge."

Beside it, a black velveteen box, closed but unmistakable in shape.

"Yes, ma"am."

Her comm-tablet was alight with activity, blooming with message upon message as the plans were put into place.

"Instruct the Alpha Line to enact the Gemini Protocol as soon as possible."

Myantha paused to stare at her.

"Ma"am?"

Dianna looked up from the coffee and the jewelry box, a brow arching.

"Was something I said unclear?"

The half elf paled at her boss's tone.

"The Gemini Protocol, you're certain?"

Impassive, she gave her assistant a single nod.

"Yes. Now go before you wake the girl, please."

Myantha quickly vacated the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

"Francis, you brilliantly foolish man?"

Dianna had opened the box once more to espy the glimmering ring inside.

What would she tell Ann?

Humanity First

Date: 2016-10-09 00:25 EST
Friday night, September 30th - After the Debate

"I hope she's not in a foul mood...We're late, and with the rain on top of it." Francis said.

The Mercedes-Benz continued along, leaving both the Red Dragon Hall and the debate behind them.

The conversation within the vehicle had not touched on the subject of how the debate went " it was a moot point now. There would be no other debate, there would just be the final polling of the election.

There was no point in discussing the past. Move forward. The end results would be one way or another, but the message was still sent to the masses.

"Have you seen her?" questioned the blonde elf who had been currently driving. When he saw the Humanity First leader shake his head and continue to look out the window, he chose to continue on. "Four inches. But act surprise when you see her, she wanted it to be a surprise."

This brought a smile to the lips of Francis, one which persisted as he continued to look at the man sitting on the passenger side of the front seat.

"Eldus." Francis began to reach into his coat pocket.

The driver peeked through his rear view. "Hm' I already gave up one secret, so if you're fishing for more...you're going to have to be disappointed and wait. We'll be there in thirty-"

"Stop here." Francis said. "I've a package."

The request seemed to cause the man in the passenger seat to sit a little straighter.

"In the rain? Sir.." The elf had a playful tone as he touched the breaks and slowly coasted to a stop. "I'll take my punishment for being a snitch, so don't tell the little miss."

Francis held the bulged envelope forward. Once taken, the Eldus tapped it against his forehead, "I'll be quick, but don't gossip about me while I'm gone."

The door opened then closed. Only two remained in the car.

"It's been almost two years, hasn't it' Since you joined.." Francis calmly crossed a leg over bent knee as he spoke.

The man up front didn't say anything in response.

"I've seen enough men like you on the battlefield...Green, which makes you an easy mark. It's in your eyes. When we left, during the debate, and even now.."

Silence fell over the two men. Only the soft pitter-patter of rain broke through.

Five soft pops.

Just five.

Each of them meeting Eldus's ears as he started his return from the mailbox. He heard three and saw the flash of the final two.

As he opened the door the slouched body of Francis pressed into him. Fresh flowing blood staining the hand he used to try and prop up the limp body.

He was dead.

Eldus knew the orders, even if he wanted nothing more than to hold the body of his friend against him and cry.

But he knew his orders. He choked but held back the tears as he carefully laid Francis onto the backseat and closed door. The rain, at least, had cleared the blood from the window.

He slowly took his seat behind the wheel and reached into jacket pocket for his phone.

"Myantha," He said in a quiet voice to the woman on the other end of the line.

Drive. Is what he told himself on the inside. Don't look...Just drive.

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-10-09 00:58 EST
Three hours before the cage match.

"Protocol execution was a perfect success."

"Thank you, Slii"ashu. And he'll be ready for the exhibition tonight?"

It was hardly a real fight. People died in those.

Died. Like Francis already was.

"Yes mum. Will you be attending?"

"Mm, no. It's prudent we keep the leaders separated in public after the rally bombing and" yes, but no. I will not."

"Of course, I should have thought about that."

Sheepishly the bespectacled half-orc bowed his head to the interim lead of the Humanity First party and took his leave. It left Dianna to her office once more. The white walls felt overly sterile and made her throat dry. They were the same whitewash of the morgue downstairs where she had identified Francis" body only a week prior.

But as they always did, they pushed forward. Carried on as if nothing was amiss. The Gemini Protocol ensured that never would the party be without its most prominent face, at least not until a suitable living replacement was named. Once the election settled and the victor was named, Dianna would figure out what to do.

They would prevail, even if it cost everything to do so.

The digital ringtone of her desk's comm device broke the silence, making her jump in her seat. She swatted at the button in annoyance.

"What."

"Di, luv?"

"Papa?" His face bloomed to life on the holo-display, presenting Dianna with a digitized 3D replica of her father from the shoulders up. "What're you doing calling so late" It must be after crestfall there."

"My Dianna, you look so surprised to see me!" A wry smile twisted his mouth. His beard had gone grey in the time since she had talked to him last, fading from the rich brown it had been for most of her life.

"I just, I didn't know you were calling. It's been" it's been very' trying lately." Of all people, seldom could she hide her feelings from her father, the last piece of a life that would never be.

"Talk to me, what?s plaguing you?" He asked. Dianna averted her gaze toward the door then back to the hologram.

"I'm afraid I may be in danger, father. We've had a" loss" within the party and they believe it may've been orchestrated from within?"

"Dianna" is this an internal line you're speaking to me on?" All the humor had bled from his tone.

"No, it's my encrypted personal line. I'm not an idiot, Papa."

"I wasn't implying you were. But if you're in danger, you shouldn't be speaking to me of such things from your office."

"I've nowhere I can go to do so otherwise. Not without my detail listening in on every word I say."

"Does Francis know?"

"Papa?"

"No, if he knew, he'd have it handled by now?"

"Father."

"...." No."

She nodded once. The hologram frowned at her.

"Say it isn't true, Dianna."

"They killed him. I" I think that I might be next."

"They wouldn't. You haven't the same station he does. Surely you've passed as his assistant, no?"

"I thought' I thought so. What do I do, Papa?"

"You mustn't let them know you've any idea. Just be vigilant. We've worked too hard to give up and run away now, right?"

After a moment she nodded slowly at her father. He gave her a thin smile that didn't quite make it up to his eyes. In person they were the same brilliant shade of green as Dianna's but the holo washed them out to a pale jade like old money.

"That's my girl. You're a Faulkner, luv, and what do Faulkners do?"

"We endure. We push forward. We prevail."

"Exactly right, darling. You can do this, I believe in you."

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-10-19 16:40 EST
Failure.

The cage match had been a massive failure.

Failure.

The election had been a failure of a far larger magnitude.

Failure.

Francis would have been so ashamed.

Failure.

Look at what you've done to the movement, Dianna.

Failure.

She had tried to assure everyone that their work would continue, that it was a small loss in the grand scope of things.

Failure.

But they saw right through her. There was no explaining Francis's bizarre behavior at the match and she couldn't tell them that it was because he had been dead for weeks.

Failure.

Their numbers were dwindling. The fires were dying down. Francis's dream was going to die with him.

Fail—

She felt the boom before she heard it, deep in her chest where it reverberated just before the reinforced glass on her windows shattered. Standing one moment, she was floored the next. Why did that keep happening" Drywall dust fluttered through the air like snow. Other than the thu-thudding of her heart in her ears, she could hear nothing, dazed and shocked by the blast. Her door flew open and Myantha rushed in, clearly panicked. The half-elf's mouth moved but Dianna couldn't make out what she was saying. It didn't matter though. Myantha was soon helping her up and dragging her through the office's side door that led to Dianna's private quarters. Something warm and sticky was trickling down her forehead and when she touched her fingers to her head, they came away red.

Thu-thud, thu-thud, thu-thud, "—ont gate clean open. Four tru—" thu-thud, thu-thud, thu-thud. "—ink they're coming to ge—" thu-thud, thu-thud, thu-thud.

Myantha pulled the dazed woman to her closet door. Which would have seemed unusual except for one tiny secret. Her assistant swept hanged garments to one side, peeled away an expertly concealed panel and tugged Di's hand up to read her palm. The panel flickered then flashed red after a moment. Myantha quickly wiped her boss's hand on her own shirt and tried again. After a flicker it turned green and the pocket door slid open with a hiss.

Thu-thud, thu-thud, thu-thud, "—anna, go! I'll keep them away as long as—? thu-thud, thu-thud, thu-thud.

Dianna stumbled through the doorway and turned to look at Myantha with wide eyes as it closed. The panic was easily read but the half-elf was strong and composed in spite of it and quickly shut not only the escape room's door but the closet door as well. She was plunged into darkness that gradually eased as her eyes adjusted to the barely there lights along the floor and those that illuminated a pair of storage closets that contained everything she would supposedly need in the event of a hasty escape. Accented by the rattle of gunfire outside of the escape room, she tried to quickly put everything together before making her descent through a circular hatch in the floor.

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2016-10-22 11:30 EST
Just like the drills, Dianna. Quick, quick, quick.

Luxe silk was traded out for what supposedly passed for streetwear in Rhydin. Gone was the sleek black couture suit and in its place she wore some atrocious combination of denim and cotton-polyester blend. Dianna Marshall Faulkner was not a jeans girl, but upon completion of the escape room and formation of the associated emergency plan, it was decided that should plain cover be needed, it was the most commonly found trend.

Jeans. Bah.

They were just a little too long so she had to cuff them to keep from walking on the hems with the awkward feeling sneakers that had been sized for her but never worn. The plain t-shirt that went with the outfit was drab and shapeless and thankfully covered up by a thick kevlar lined bomber jacket. All in all it made for a mundane combination that hardly seemed suiting for the more technologically advanced touches that made it a true disguise. The deep brown ponytail of her hair had turned dirty blonde beneath a West End Wargs ballcap thanks to a chameleon filter and a similar effect was invoked to change her eyes from green to blue with a pair of black rimmed glasses. Wholly illusory, the effects were easily changed as needed but as she emerged from a storm drain near the river, she figured the alterations would work for as long as it should have taken her to get across town. Headquarters wasn't safe and it wouldn't do to linger anywhere near Dockside as emergency responders descended upon the scene. Not once did she look back as she made her escape, traversing the narrow streets of Dockside until they gave way to Old Temple. Crossing the bridge to the north side of town helped her breathe just a little easier but it failed to lessen the conflict of just what to do.

They doubted her. They killed Francis. They were going to kill her too. And the only remaining people she trusted were either off world or back at a half destroyed building.

Maybe they were even dead.

Dianna couldn't stop to think about it or she would have lost the last shred of her composure that she clung to as if it were her last chance at salvation. The thought might be closer to the truth than she even wanted to consider. While the local law enforcement as a whole couldn't be trusted, not after the things that were said and implied during the investigation of the rally bombing only a month prior, but perhaps" perhaps there were individuals with enough merit to be trusted on their own. Few had chanced speaking to her save for vitriolic accusations and passive aggressive pseudo-pleasantries so it wasn't difficult for singular faces to stand out in her mind.

The Red Dragon Inn served as her only point of reference in which to seek said faces but she found the commons woefully empty despite the early evening hour. Fortunately for Dianna, the power of observation made it relatively easy to find the ledger in which each occupant of the inn was recorded. Just how many rooms could such a place have"

Obviously more than Dianna realized.

It took far more searching that she would have liked to admit but finally she pinned down a single name. He had been blunt, brash almost in the way he had questioned her upon their first meeting, but in review of his visit to the fae prisoner responsible for the rally bombing, his intentions at least seemed transparent enough to make him worth a try. Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, she shut the ledger, tucked it away, and started for the stairs to the inn's upper level in search of the room of Will Somnia. At the very least that didn't take that long due to the room's proximity to the central block of the commons and with no lacking amount of apprehension, she raised a fist for a trio of daintily polite knocks. Each moment that stretched between the knock and the answer felt infinite but finally, she heard a voice.

"Yeah?"

"Ser Somnia" Might I speak with you a moment, please?" She answered near the door jam. For all that the casual disguise hoped to imply about the woman at Will's door, there was little she could do to mask the prim lilt of her tone. Shifting her weight from foot to foot, she crossed and uncrossed her arms, trying to find some way to stand in the hallway that was both relaxed and innocuous at the same time.

Will stood up, head cocked to the side as he padded barefoot to the door. Not expecting visitors at this or any hour, he was wearing only a pair of dark green silk sleeping pants. He grabbed the black robe from the coat hook next to the door and threw it on, tying it closed around his waist. He looked down at his crossbow, loaded and propped up behind the door. Planting one foot firmly about six inches inside the door he clicked it unlocked, opened it and peeked out. He glanced her up and down, then looked her in the eyes for a moment. It was a good disguise but from up close he recognized her features from the first time they had met, as well as the broadcasts he had watched on a loop.

"...Dianna?" Will asked in a hushed tone.

Each second that ticked by between issuing her request and when the door finally opened felt like an eternity but at last the it creaked open and just as she had hoped, he was there. The ledger hadn't lied, at the very least, but it was still yet to be seen as to whether this was a wise move on her part. When her name fell from his tongue, her eyes widened and an index finger came up in front of her lips in a shushing motion. When she spoke, she did so through a soft nod of confirmation and around the lift of her finger before dropping it midway through once she thought her point was made.

"I think you may have me mistaken for someone else, however I was hoping to speak to you on a rather urgent matter regarding some of your recent work. Do you have a moment or two?" Again her arms crossed, clearly uncomfortable in having to make such a request.

Will stepped back and opened the door, motioning for her to enter.

With a grateful bow of her head, she quickly slipped inside without so much as a look over her shoulder.

Will poked his head into the hallway and looked left and right before closing and locking the door. He turned around to face her, hands in his robe pockets. "You weren't followed?"

"To the best of my knowledge, no. I didn't take a direct route here, just in case. Full disclosure, I am armed, however I'm willing to disarm since you've granted me an audience within your private domain." There was a slight tug at the lapel of her jacket to one side for emphasis.

Will shook his head slightly. "Don't worry about it. I would expect you to be armed" I heard about what happened at your headquarters." He walked back to the coffee table and picked up an unlabeled bottle of what looked like whiskey. "So what can I do for you?" He unscrewed the cap slowly, almost idly.

Her shoulders dropped just slightly with relief though the furrow of her brow easily indicated that what he said troubled her. It was no surprise that such news would spread quickly but she couldn't help but wonder just what was being said. Lingering near the door, she watched his progress across the room with a small frown.

"You know, I practiced what I was going to say all the way here and now that I stand here, it all sounds like insanity. I need assistance that I do not believe I can get through my conventional means." She took a breath, holding it long enough to let her nerves settle. It wouldn't do to dance around the subject, she knew that much. When she exhaled, it came with further explanation. "They assassinated Francis. I'm fairly confident that I'm next if I don't act quickly."

Will paused, the cap in his hand. His brows shot up. "Wait, what? Who did?" He was genuinely surprised" not that someone would attempt to assassinate either of them, but that someone managed to pull it off. Regardless of his feelings towards their movement, Will had sort of hoped they would just leave town.

"A member of his security detail, they say was responsible." Her teeth worried at her bottom lip. For all that her upbringing taught her to look a person in the eye when you spoke to them, she wanted nothing more than to stare at the ugly tennis shoes she had to wear. "They think me nothing more than his stand in mouthpiece, but I'm more observant than they give me credit for. I know how these things work."

Will motioned to the couch at the end of the coffee table and set the bottle in front of it. "Sounds like you need this more than I do." He sat in the chair. "Who did this person work for?"

A few moments of hesitation gave way to a brisk crossing of the room before she sat on the edge of the couch, crossing one leg over the other. Smoothing her hands down her knee, she clasped them over her kneecap and took a breath, straightening her thoughts. "Our security detail is assigned on a higher level by the movement's central offices. When an internal investigation failed to yield any definitive results, I looked into things myself. There wasn't much I had access to, but the man's personnel file indicated he specifically requested our sector. There were a few others too that have but I always chalked that up to Francis" popularity, you know?" A beat, two, three. "I'm rambling, please forgive me. I'm just at a loss for what to do."

"That's all right," Will replied. "Do you think your central offices....knew what this guy was planning?"

"Pure speculation rather than anything substantiated, but yes. Failure is not' taken lightly." She grimaced and tugged off the fake glasses, folding them shut and tucking them inside her jacket.

"By "failure" I'm guessing you mean the election' but if Francis let on that he knew the governor's seat here held no power, then" I'm guessing he had planned to....take power," Will mused out loud. "Otherwise there'd be no point to even running." He shook his head, feeling that he was beginning to go off on a tangent.

"Take power?" She tilted her head to one side, her brows lifting with what appeared to be genuine confusion. "I think" I think you may misunderstand. Such posts are stepping stones. Platforms of sorts for our message. Integration is a slow thing but having such prominence can speed the process greatly. There's no' power taking involved." Running her tongue over her bottom lip, she considered just how much she wanted to say. Such things were precarious when she was already on thin ice.

Will nodded. He understood, and by this point the intentions of the movement were moot. He sighed. "Sorry, I guess it doesn't really matter at this point does it?" He paused for a second. "If they'll be coming for you, then....you'll need to disappear." He leaned over and picked up the whiskey, bringing it to his lips before pausing again. "Is there anywhere off-world you'd be safe?" A swig. "Any family or remaining contacts you trust?" He set the bottle in the middle of the coffee table.

"It matters if you feel it does. I know our viewpoints differ, I'd be blind to think otherwise, but it has long been my job to adjust perspectives of our mission." Her gaze, back to green as it was after removal of the glasses, followed each of his motions, interrupted in her study only by the intermittent drift toward the door. The whiskey was tempting despite the fact she'd never drank in her life. A twitch of her fingers said that might change sooner rather than later. "My father encouraged me to stay here in spite of everything and he's my remaining family at this point. He's blind to the risk" or more over, I think the cause is greater than the cost in his eyes. I couldn't return to New Braemia, not if I value my life, but yes, getting away is my ultimate goal. Are they any alternative spaceports to Stars End?"

One of Will's talents, if you could call it that, was an attention to detail. He had noticed Dianna eyeing the whiskey but had not pegged her for much of a drinker, given her prim-and-proper demeanor. He stood and stepped over to a nearby wardrobe and opened the doors, revealing a wide selection of almost every type of alcohol available in Rhy'din. He took a rocks glass from the middle shelf of his personal bar and walked into the room's kitchenette. "I've never been off-world, so I'm not sure," he said as he opened the freezer and reached in for a couple ice cubes. "Honestly, closest I've ever been to leaving the planet," he said as he dropped the ice into the glass as he turned to head back into the living room, "was being on your ship when I went to talk to the prisoner." Will picked up the bottle and poured into the glass, setting the double-on-the-rocks in front of Dianna. "But I have a guy. I can head there tonight and get the ball rolling." He sat back in his chair, bottle in hand.

"Thank you." Read like a book, she assumed, judging by the glass before her. The red that suffused her cheeks was thankfully a brief thing. One hand curled around the glass but though she drew it up, she didn't drink immediately. "If it's a matter of payment, I assure you I can pay well. Particularly if this" guy' can be discrete about it."

Will grinned. "He's nothing if not discrete." He picked the bottle up and took another drink. There was a long silence before Will spoke again. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for your loss. You're right, I'm sure we disagree on a lot of things" and I'm sure you came to me for help because I'm one of the few here who wouldn't rather spit on you than give you the time of day." He swirled the whiskey in the bottle. "I don't care for all the murders that have happened lately, and that goes for both you and Francis." He considered another drink. "We're all free to exist in disagreement."

He drank so she took the opportunity to do the same. The whiskey went down smooth but burned all the way into her stomach. It was impossible to hide the bitter face she made as she swallowed. "Thank you, truly. I've been in this city for nigh on two years and though we have our support, the opposition is quite loud. I've an inherent mistrust of the local law enforcement but Commander Nastani spoke highly of your conduct. You seem a" what is the local phrasing" no bullshit sort of guy." For that she had to down the remainder of her glass's contents, the language strange feeling on her tongue. "Anyways. I don't wish to inconvenience you long. How long should we expect preparations to take?"

Will laughed at that. "Well, I won't know until I talk to my guy. Shouldn't be too long though' I can see if we can do this before sunrise. It's still early enough." He stood, setting the bottle on the table. "I'll have to get moving though." He stood, walking to another chair and picking up the clothing draped over its back. "I can give you the keys if you want to stay here until I get back. You'll be safe here, and the doors lock from the inside."

For the first time since showing up at his door, she offered him a smile. Wan and tired, it was still genuine in the way it caught her mouth. "If you think that's best, I can remain here until I receive further orders. Otherwise I'm certain I could commandeer one of the other rooms here. Either way. Thank you again, Mister Somnia."

"Don't mention it." Will gave his trademark half-smile and headed for the main bathroom to change. He stepped back out a minute later, fully dressed. "Seriously though?" he joked, "if you're trying to disappear, it would probably be best to not mention it. Ah?" Will pointed to various doorways in the suite as he gave her the abridged tour. "Bedroom's there, has its own bathroom and key, never been used. Kitchen, food. That's..." He paused, looking around with a slight frown. "Pretty much it." He picked up the crossbow and slung it behind his back. "Get some sleep, eat, whatever you need to do. I'll be back." He opened the door and poked his head out to check the hallway again.

"Oh." She said lamely as it dawned on her that he was right. It was best not to mention it should she wish to make an escape on the low down. "Right. You're completely right." Her intent gaze darted with each gesture, noting his on the fly layout as well as the momentary frown. It was a feeling she understood, at least on a base level, the spartan accommodations making for easy movement should the need arise. "Very well. See you before long. Good luck and godspeed.? Sleeping likely wouldn't happen, but she leaned far enough to retrieve the whiskey for a refill for the short term.

Will nodded and stepped out, pulling the door closed behind him.

New places were always so weird feeling for Dianna. Though she was no stranger to moving around, sitting by herself in the room of a man she had spoken two a grand total of twice was an exercise in just how still she could sit. Her quiet was broken only by sighs and the occasional shift to refill the glass Will had given her. It seemed to go down easier the more she drank and though the nanites in her system did their best to filter out the toxins, she did her best to outpace them.

Once her head was nice and fuzzy, Dianna curled one leg beneath her, tugged the other knee to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself. For as uncomfortable of a position as it may have looked like, it didn't take her long to set her head on her knee and fall asleep, bulky kevlar bomber jacket and all. It was an unease sort of rest, just barely there in the realm of dozing, and her neck would likely hate her for it later, but sleep was sleep.



((Thank you to Will Somnia for writing this with me!))

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2017-01-27 15:50 EST
Somewhere Above Rhy"Din City]

Keep your head down and your nose clean. It had been Dianna's mantra since her under the radar escape from Rhydin three months prior. In that time she had gained little traction and only the slightest bit of space from the M-class planet that she had called home for over two years. The transport cruiser made regular stops at the Stars End port and at those times, she always took particular care to stay as far from the port regulars as possible.

Head down. Nose clean. Or as clean as she could be when she spent the days tending to the rooms of the ship's passengers. They were a dirty lot more often than not and the pay for cleaning up their messes was barely enough to cover her room and board, a ploy she thought more than intentional on the part of the transport company that ran the fleet. It was a far cry from the luxurious life she had enjoyed as a pet of the Humanity First movement. But it was a life just the same which was more than could be said for Francis or many of those she had left behind on Rhydin.

"Hello, Claech. Does the day find you well?" A midday break from her never ending to do list found her in the doorway of one of her fellow crewmates. The Klos"elmie looked up from a desk laden with monitors and torn apart electrical components with a grin of sharp teeth.

"Deedee! It's Rhydinian Friday, of course it's a great day!" He stretched back in his chair, his scale covered arms clacking with the extension before he dropped them onto the chair's arms. "Check this out. The down below's little stink has turned into a full on week of protests in the city."

"Oh?" Her brows lifted. Claech beckoned her over with a point to the screen. Word of unrest in Rhydin had been spreading along the gossip grapevine but this was the first chance she'd had to see it in person. Across the monitors scrolled feeds from a number of news sources. Reports of non-humans being barred from businesses, pockets of human neighborhoods banning non-humans from their communities, non-humans fighting back in any way they could. And then there was the peace protest.

"Isn't it cool" It's like the edge of a civil war, have you ever seen such a thing?" Claech sounded far too excited by such a prospect. Dianna's mouth twisted into a frown.

"I have." Time away couldn't diminish the prim lilt to her accent, something that her fellow crew members often poked fun at. None of them knew who she was though, the chameleon filters had done enough to change her appearance until she only vaguely resembled her former self.

"It's beautiful." The green skinned Klos"elmie sighed happily. He tipped his head back to look up at her as she looked over his shoulder at the screens. Noticing she clearly didn't feel the same, his smile fell. "What's wrong?"

"They're going about it all wrong." Her hands had tightened but she had slipped them into the pockets of the olivine canvas jumpsuit she wore to hide the tension from her friend.

"Whatcha mean?" Now Claech was curious. He sat up in his chair and swiveled it to look at her better.

"I mean that it's possible to elevate humanity's status without denigrating the status of others. It's feasible to build strong communities on a foundation of similar principles, whether by race or other virtue, without destroying the communities of others." There was an impassioned conviction to her tone that Claech couldn't help but gawk at. Deedee, as he had always known her, had always been so quiet and reserved. Never had she spoken up like this before, instead always contenting herself with soft nods and subtle expressions whenever political conversations came up.

"Yeah' How're they gonna do that?" He asked. Dianna looked over her shoulder at the door and frowned.

"Claech' your setup here, you can broadcast from it, can't you?" As vaguely gestured to the rigged system in front of him. He glanced from her to it and back, nodding.

"Yeah, it's a pirate signal but it usually holds for a few minutes until they can figure out how to override it. Why?" Claech watched as the woman went to the door, pressing her hand to the access panel so that the door slid shut. She turned back to him, a fire in her green eyes that she hadn't seen before.

"How do you feel about making a statement?"

Thirty Minutes Later]

Public stations across the city cut to static before their signals were overtaken by a grainy feed of unknown origin. The camera was less than high quality but for those who had been in Rhydin during election season, the person sitting in front of it was a familiar face. Dianna Faulkner sat against a sterile white wall in a similarly colored chair. Her dark hair had been pulled into a braid over one shoulder and fatigue seemed to limn the edges of her normally bright eyes. The olive colored jumpsuit she wore washed her skin tone out to an unhealthy looking pallor. Despite her slightly unkempt appearance, her gaze was cool and collected as she looked into the camera. Briefly it ticked upwards, looking offscreen just long enough for Claech to tell her they were successfully connected. With a muted nod, she licked her lips and spoke.

"It's been some time since I last had an opportunity to address the people in this way. You'll have to forgive me if my thoughts are a little scattered. I've only just received reports of what is happening in the city and I" I'm beyond words. Rhydin City, a melting pot founded on but a handful of indisputable tenets. Firstly, the people rule themselves by their morals and their might. The strong look out for the weak and in turn the weak rise to join their ranks. Secondly, all are welcome no matter their race, religion, or creed. These facts are what drew the Humanity First movement to Rhydin to begin with. In a land of gods and monsters, surely the humans amongst them surely needed help keeping pace, lest they been run roughshod over as if they were nothing but detritus upon the streets. We were right in some aspects and when we found this to be true, we wanted to help build humanity up in Rhydin.

"I am ashamed to see what has become of this movement, twisted and bastardized as it is. You fight now not for the rights of humans but rather to take away the rights of those around you. I speak to those of you who think this is your mission. Do you truly believe that you accomplish anything by building your rights atop the backs of those you broke in the process" Nay, you merely become the oppressor and in doing so, become no better than those you fought against all this time. Is that what you wish'

To those fighting in the name of humanity or Humanity First, I say stop this. Stop your wretched display of pomp and ego and once more build up your community. Do not tear one another down. Do not exclude or hurt those that may be different. Instead create something that draws those you wish to be associated with. Build it and they will come. Build something to be proud of.

I say do this because this is not a war you will win. Not here. You spit in the faces of those that have helped make the city what it is now and expect no retribution' Surely you all must be more intelligent than that. Prove that humanity deserves its pedestal, do not expect to be elevated merely for knocking down others."

Offscreen, a muted voice can be heard. "Thirty seconds til disconnect." Dianna's gaze ticks up again then back to the camera. With a deep breath, she continues.

"Humanity is better than this. I implore you look inwards to find this fact within yourself. Rise above violence. Rise above division. Do this and humanity will prevail in the way they are meant to. Not at the cost of others. Dianna Faulkner, signing out."

The feed goes dead the moment after and programming is restored to its normal broadcast.

((Cross posted here.))

Humanity First

Date: 2017-01-27 19:05 EST
"It's Dianna!" the scream echoed through cold coordinators of the small battleship.

"it's Dianna! She's alive!" Nitalia's jubilation came with tears in her eyes as she looked to her mother. "She's alive!"

The scaled woman who loomed behind the shorter girl did not respond. The slits of her eyes only began to grow more faint as she began to squint.

"...Her broadcast wasn't encrypted, it won't be long before the Traditionalists find out the location." Came from a darker haired man standing beside the reptilian commander of the ship.

Nitalia looked to them dumbfounded.

Why weren't they celebrating" Dianna is alive!

"...Doesn't that mean we should go save her" Right' Before they find her? We're faster, mother! Johnathan always says he's the fastest pilot of the UA!" She looked to Johnathan. The darker haired man only dipped his chin and closed his eyes.

He said nothing.

It was her mother who replied instead. "Be realistic, Nitalia. Boasting done in the mess hall mean little in real warfare. My mission, your fathers final order, is to see to your safety. THAT is what Dianna wants as well."

"But...Dianna!" No longer on the verge of tears, Nitalia openly cried as she grasped at her mothers coat.

"Remember." Nitalia's hands were taken and firmly grasped at. The teenager looked up to her mothers often stern eyes and saw a glimpse of sorrow. "The greater good. What we do is for the greater good."

They were going to sacrifice her. The realization clicked then and there into Nitalia's mind.

"I don't care about the greater good! I care about Dianna!" Screamed in a sudden rage. She ripped hands out from her mothers grasp and began to run from the communications room.

"Father would save her!" She yelled, pushing through the crew lingering at the door. "Father wouldn't run!"

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2017-01-30 17:07 EST
"So, you're really her, huh?" Claech was looking at her as if she were an interesting (but dangerous) animal at the zoo. It had been ten minutes since the broadcast had been cut off and this was the first thing he had said. Already she had put the miniature chameleon filters behind each of her ears where they wouldn't be seen. Her dark hair was once more a shade of nondescript blonde, pulled from its braid and left loose over her shoulders. Dianna looked up from a splay of her hands in her lap to meet his curious gaze. Her eyes were no longer green but rather a dull shade of blue though still held the steel edge that had stared with such conviction into the camera only moments before.

"I am, but certainly that must stay between us." Though she had impressed it upon him before, she couldn't help but feel the growing knot that came with the realization of just what she had done. A cover she had worked months to keep was effectively thrown out the airlock should Claech open his mouth.

"It will, it will. But word was that they thought you died when the headquarters down below went kaboom. Nobody survived." He shrugged, chitinous shoulderbones click-clacking with the motion beneath his jumpsuit. Di's mouth went dry

"Nobody?" She asked. Myantha, Slii"ashu, Calvin, Maurice, Eldus. All dead. Claech shook his head.

"According to their reports. After the initial explosions went off, a fire broke out and kept anyone from escaping."

"Did they ever pinpoint the cause?" Dianna was afraid of the answer. There had only been a handful of times in her life in which she was genuinely afraid. The list grew by one as she awaited his response.

"Some anti-humanist group took the credit for it. Supposedly HF tracked "em down and brought "me to justice though. No worries." He gave her what was supposed t be an encouraging smile but Dianna couldn't bring herself to match it. It was as if the nanites in her blood had dropped the temperature by thirty degrees. She suppressed a minute shiver and summoned a weak smile.

"That's" good. I was" I was off world when it happened." He hasn't asked for an explanation but after he had helped her, she felt compelled to give him something. Claech squinted at her, tipping his head to one side.

"So why're you hiding out on a cargo freighter?" It was inevitable. She should have kept her mouth shut.

"With the anti-human sentiment, it was thought best that I lay low for awhile. Surely you understand?" Her tone was convincing, almost. The Klos"elmie seemed to accept her answer though, breaking out into a sympathetic smile.

"Makes sense. It can be our secret, don't worry." He got to his feet and opened the panel to his room. It was Dianna's cue to go. She too rose and smoothed out the perpetual wrinkles in her outfit, passing Claech with a bow of her head.

"Thank you for your help, Claech. I owe you." She stepped back into the hallway, her posture affecting an air of nonplussed relaxation.

"Don't worry about it, Deedee. It was no biggie." He gave her a sharp toothed smile and she went on her way. He watched until she was down the corridor and around the corner before closing his door and returning to the console at his desk. There he tapped out a series of commands into a thin comm pad.

Secure message to J18563: I've got something you might be interested in. Contact me at your earliest convenience.

Humanity First

Date: 2017-02-09 16:33 EST
"Grandfather....please!" Nitalia's gripping nails peeled wood from the small desk she stood beside. The flickering light of her communicator brought no comfort as text flickered and scrolled across holo-screen.

Establishing connection.. Please wait.. Establishing connection.. Please wait..

"Hurry and answer!" Oak splinters discarded from nails as she brought knuckles to her red and watery eyes. Her throat dry, her legs aching, no matter where she ran on this ship " no one had listened. Saving Dianna wouldn't happen here, they wouldn't allow it. The risk was too great.

Her mothers word had been an absolute, which meant Nitalia needed to reach outside the influence of this craft.

Establishing connection.. Please wait..

"Father..." Balled fists struck table with such fervor to cause it to quake. Nitalia threw herself to the comfort of her nearby bed and buried face into her pillow. The welled up anger inside her body unleashed into it in the form of a muffled scream.

"Nitalia"!"

A voice not of her own finally filled the room. The hybrid girl looked from tear stained pillow and quickly moved to stand beside the communicator. There had been nothing on the screen but a dim flashing Connection symbol. She had used the line just as her father: encrypted. She longed to see the face of her grandfather, but the risks weighed far more on her mind.

"Grandfather! Dianna!" Her plea came in the short bursts of two simple words at the start. She gripped at the table once more while trying her hardest not to fall back into tears. "Mother..." She grit her teeth and shook her head. "No one is going to save her!"

"My little Nitalia, this conversation must be brief." Her grandfathers tone hushed with urgency. "Dianna's transmission reached the capital only moments ago, and already the traditionalist are waxing poetry of how fortunate they are that she lives, while secretly cursing the discovery."

"You can make mother save her! Please!"

"Nitalia! Child! I need you to listen!" The chiding order caused Nitalia to bite her bottom lip to hold back her words. "Your mother is following my orders...With Francis," Nitalia's cheeks sucked in as she lowered her gaze. She could hear the sorrow in her grandfathers voice. The shuddering sound of him drawing in a breath caused the girl to look away from the holo-screen. "You are the heir to this house."

"I will do what I can, but you must be patient...Dianna is a fighter, she fought with my son ? your father," His voice emphasizing the point. "She is strong. You must trust in her abilities."

"I can't..." She began while shaking her head. "We have to save her." She couldn't yell or scream any longer. Her throat felt too dry.

"Have faith, my sweet. Have faith in her, have faith in me...and have faith in your mother."

Dianna Faulkner

Date: 2017-02-10 12:38 EST
"Dianna Faulkner."

Don't look up. Don't answer. Don't turn around.

"Dianna Marshall Faulkner?"

Keep scrubbing. You're not Dianna anymore. Don't blink.

"Miss Faulkner, you need to come with us please." She could pretend no more, her elbow was pulled with a jerk, hauling her to her feet. Dirty blonde scattered its way across the pallid blue of her eyes. Di blinked thrice. The cadre of UA soldiers stared back at her.

"I'm s-sorry' I think you're mistaken."

"It doesn't even look like her, sir." Off to the right, a mousey man with the bars of a first lieutenant spoke up. Her captor, a man Dianna recognized as Elias Malgrave, released her arm. Before she could pull back, his hand caught around the back of her neck. Two fingers found the chameleon filter implant behind her ear and ripped it free. All at once her disguise fell, rippling and changing as the wash of the illusion was ruined.

"Better, Lieutenant?" Elias growled. "Dianna Marshall Faulkner, we need you to come with us. Now." There was an unspoken note that said it wasn't optional. This had been a risk that she was willing to accept, there was no running. Dianna lifted her chin and nodded once to Elias. With his hand wrapped around her bicep, he guided her down the hall, their escorts marching in lockstep behind them. There were stares, people she had worked side by side with for months with no incident. As far as extractions went, it was peaceful, anticlimactic. They turned the corner, moving out of view of those gawking.

Everything went black.

Humanity First

Date: 2017-02-11 12:07 EST
2/10/2017 - Night - Wreckage of the Humanity First Party HQ

Dark and dreary, nothing else could describe the feeling in the air from those who stood by the wreckage of their community's minute town hall. Humanity First helped provide funding for businesses, helped in purchasing and claiming the small patch of land found in the Dockside district. It was to be only the beginning, and once the building of the colony was complete; they would leave this city behind and live among the stars. No longer would they be cannon fodder for so-called gods and goddesses, or meals for vampires, or used in the wicked rituals of both fae and demon.

"Stand strong." "Stand proud."

Their voices were stifled. They were questioned by the privileged population of non-humans. All Lives Matter, when that quote left the lips of one of those running for governor " it had been nothing more than a dagger to their hearts. In other words, their voice did not matter. They should accept their lot in life, to be used and abused, and to simply lie there and take it. Even now they were being linked to a new movement that continue to spawn more hatred, yet they could not complain. They could not raise their voices and simply ask to be treated better. No. They were bigots, they were rioters, they were a plague that disturbed the "harmony" of this "fair" city.

The message had been lost. Perverted by zealots that had nothing to do with the movement " and by those who perpetuated the lies by continued spewing of false truths from their own lips.

Humanity First would kill all non-humans! It will be a genocide! Humanity First will try and rule Rhydin with an iron fist! Humanity First will put all non-human's into camps! ALL LIVES MATTER!

Lies. All lies. But those lies were the truth in the court of public opinion. No matter what was said, no matter how many heated debates, it was easy to call someone a bigot and be on your way while holding your head high and patting yourself on the back.

And here they stood. Those who remained of Humanity First. After the anti-human bombings, after the media attacks, after their own community now under fire with constant graffiti from the virtue signalling. Their windows busted, their homes set ablaze, their lives now nothing more than ignored due to the so-called bigger picture in the city.

They stood there in front of the ruined headquarters with lit candles. Prayers sent to gods, prayers sent to no one but still of hope, and tears cried for lost loved ones.

This is their protest. The true protest of those who believed in wanting an equal seat at a table so unfairly guarded by those with power and status.

No yelling. No screaming. No calls for violence.

The small community stood there with candles and dreamed for a better tomorrow.

But in reality: They stood there accepting their fate to lie in the mud and never question the power of the status quo.