Public execution; 6:30pm; Elysium; Friday 20th Febuary
[ The setting: one of the extravagant courtyards near the city's town center. But something's different. A massive stage has been erected in the center of the courtyard, lit up by an array of floodlights. A podium stands in the center of the stage, and as a crowd slowly gathers, the atmosphere grows tense. What is this? Some sort of show? A concert?
No. It's Senator Liebert who walks onto the stage, and takes his place behind the podium. Hands on the podium, he casts a slow glance over the waiting crowd, waiting for the collective murmur to quiet down before he starts speaking. Each and every word magnified grandly by the microphones, his solemn expression unchanging. ]
Citizens of NeoGenesis, I come before you today to ask your forgiveness. You see, my fellow senators and I have made a grave error. In our naivety, in the spirit of love for our fellow neighbour, we gave our trust to beings who were never worthy of it. Creatures who, in their twisted hearts, could not see a chance to cooperate, only an opportunity to manipulate. I reached out my hand to the mutants of this city and received, in return, a knife in the back. The actions they have shown us have not been the actions of brothers in humanity, but the wild, irrational, and violent behaviour of beasts. Our kindness has been betrayed, NeoGenesis, and our loved ones have suffered.
No more! Our friendship with the mutant race has come to an end. On our streets, they have declared war, and we, NeoGenesis, will answer with full force. Today we condemn the first of many war criminals, a monster who, three weeks ago, killed over fifty people and maimed dozens more. For his terrible crimes, we sentence Kobayashi Naoki, the leader of the so-called Scar Chain, to public execution by drawing and quartering.
[ Everyone has been so entranced by the speech that they don't notice until now, that a figure has been led to the front of the stage. Heavily wounded, tied with chains, but face disguised by a familiar [ owl mask ]. It certainly seems like the perpetrator of the Elysium massacre. And as everyone watches, he is led forward by men in hoods -- executioners. It's a slow trek towards an elevated platform with a noose suspended over the end of the stage. It's almost a standard procedure, and as everyone watches, the noose is tightened around his throat -- then the base beneath his feet kicked out. The drop is short, far too short to break the neck, and there's much struggling and kicking, horrible choking noises filling the air.
But just before death settles in, a figure comes sauntering across the stage. Genkaku. Carrying an axe in one hand. He moves confidently, approaching the shivering figure hanging from the gallows, and with one swing of the axe, severs the rope. A short drop, and the figure falls to the ground below, where the hooded assistants have been waiting. Before the gasping man can so much as move, they're on him with a pair of jagged knives, neatly slicing his abdomen open, and methodically removing the organs inside. Screams fill the air, shrieks and gasps that are soon gurgling with blood, but they peter out soon enough, when all the organs have been removed, and the victim is drained of all energy.
The grand finale: Genkaku steps up to the dying figure, paying no attention to the weakly heaving chest and the neat piles of organs. He only smiles, then raises the axe in both hands -- and begins to sever each of the four limbs from the body. The sounds of the blade slicing through flesh and bone are grotesque, filling the air with each squelch of steel against muscle. The crowd can only stare in mixed terror and shock, as arms are separated from shoulders, legs from hips. Genkaku works quickly, and backs off once the job is done, slinging the axe over his shoulder and walking offstage.
Stepping neatly around the bloody mess that sprawls across the stage, Johan once more approaches the podium, his words almost frighteningly calm when he speaks: ]
May this sight be burned into the memories of all who have witnessed it, to serve as a reminder that the city of NeoGenesis will not tolerate the existence of those who would threaten its peace and the safety of its beloved citizens. We, your government, military, and police force, will protect you from these monsters, these mutants, and we will not fall to them.
[ Once his words are over, the bloody pieces are collected. The victim has long since expired, and the five unmoving lumps of flesh and bone are placed upon silver platters, each born by a hooded assistant, and carted off.
For what purpose? Well. The next day, these dismembered body parts are placed in key locations throughout Elysium and Terra, impaled upon pikes that are erected high, visible from blocks away. Guards stand at ready, making sure that no one tampers with these warnings.
It's a lesson, everyone. To obey the city's laws. For your own sake. For everyone's sake. ]
[[NOTE: This will be played on every TV station throughout NeoGenesis]]
No. It's Senator Liebert who walks onto the stage, and takes his place behind the podium. Hands on the podium, he casts a slow glance over the waiting crowd, waiting for the collective murmur to quiet down before he starts speaking. Each and every word magnified grandly by the microphones, his solemn expression unchanging. ]
Citizens of NeoGenesis, I come before you today to ask your forgiveness. You see, my fellow senators and I have made a grave error. In our naivety, in the spirit of love for our fellow neighbour, we gave our trust to beings who were never worthy of it. Creatures who, in their twisted hearts, could not see a chance to cooperate, only an opportunity to manipulate. I reached out my hand to the mutants of this city and received, in return, a knife in the back. The actions they have shown us have not been the actions of brothers in humanity, but the wild, irrational, and violent behaviour of beasts. Our kindness has been betrayed, NeoGenesis, and our loved ones have suffered.
No more! Our friendship with the mutant race has come to an end. On our streets, they have declared war, and we, NeoGenesis, will answer with full force. Today we condemn the first of many war criminals, a monster who, three weeks ago, killed over fifty people and maimed dozens more. For his terrible crimes, we sentence Kobayashi Naoki, the leader of the so-called Scar Chain, to public execution by drawing and quartering.
[ Everyone has been so entranced by the speech that they don't notice until now, that a figure has been led to the front of the stage. Heavily wounded, tied with chains, but face disguised by a familiar [ owl mask ]. It certainly seems like the perpetrator of the Elysium massacre. And as everyone watches, he is led forward by men in hoods -- executioners. It's a slow trek towards an elevated platform with a noose suspended over the end of the stage. It's almost a standard procedure, and as everyone watches, the noose is tightened around his throat -- then the base beneath his feet kicked out. The drop is short, far too short to break the neck, and there's much struggling and kicking, horrible choking noises filling the air.
But just before death settles in, a figure comes sauntering across the stage. Genkaku. Carrying an axe in one hand. He moves confidently, approaching the shivering figure hanging from the gallows, and with one swing of the axe, severs the rope. A short drop, and the figure falls to the ground below, where the hooded assistants have been waiting. Before the gasping man can so much as move, they're on him with a pair of jagged knives, neatly slicing his abdomen open, and methodically removing the organs inside. Screams fill the air, shrieks and gasps that are soon gurgling with blood, but they peter out soon enough, when all the organs have been removed, and the victim is drained of all energy.
The grand finale: Genkaku steps up to the dying figure, paying no attention to the weakly heaving chest and the neat piles of organs. He only smiles, then raises the axe in both hands -- and begins to sever each of the four limbs from the body. The sounds of the blade slicing through flesh and bone are grotesque, filling the air with each squelch of steel against muscle. The crowd can only stare in mixed terror and shock, as arms are separated from shoulders, legs from hips. Genkaku works quickly, and backs off once the job is done, slinging the axe over his shoulder and walking offstage.
Stepping neatly around the bloody mess that sprawls across the stage, Johan once more approaches the podium, his words almost frighteningly calm when he speaks: ]
May this sight be burned into the memories of all who have witnessed it, to serve as a reminder that the city of NeoGenesis will not tolerate the existence of those who would threaten its peace and the safety of its beloved citizens. We, your government, military, and police force, will protect you from these monsters, these mutants, and we will not fall to them.
[ Once his words are over, the bloody pieces are collected. The victim has long since expired, and the five unmoving lumps of flesh and bone are placed upon silver platters, each born by a hooded assistant, and carted off.
For what purpose? Well. The next day, these dismembered body parts are placed in key locations throughout Elysium and Terra, impaled upon pikes that are erected high, visible from blocks away. Guards stand at ready, making sure that no one tampers with these warnings.
It's a lesson, everyone. To obey the city's laws. For your own sake. For everyone's sake. ]
[[NOTE: This will be played on every TV station throughout NeoGenesis]]