12-16-2023, 11:59 PM
Northern Auria, 7 Kilometers west of Juraceda
6:32 AM
The cool and tranquil Aurian morning was almost picturesque, with a beautiful orange sunrise peeking through the rows of apple trees. Local finches sang their songs without care, only occasionally disturbed by activity on the ground. The derelict orchard seemed peaceful, a free haven away from the urban bustle of nearby Juraceda.
Who knew that such an idyllic place could be the birthplace of a revolution?
Inside the estate’s dark manor house, Alain Bonnet sat at the head of a grand mahogany dining table as his fellow communist revolutionaries hurried around him, occasionally handing him sheets of paper or photos. In a matter of weeks, their formerly small movement had exploded into a full-blown militia as thousands of discontented Aurians with nothing left to lose volunteered to join the cause. The United Aurian Commune was no longer a fringe activist group practicing civil disobedience, but a force to be reckoned with.
Bonnet glanced over to the woman on his right, who was listening to an old signal radio intently. “Any updates from the west, Deana?”
The lieutenant shook her head. “Not very much. The West Division isn’t very chatty. I think the commanders over there are paranoid of being heard, especially as Coalition troops search for gang members and remaining regime officials. Last I heard was about twenty minutes ago, when the convoy of arms reached the town of Cēnos, which…” She took a look at a nearby map of the country, “...Is about forty-five minutes west of Juraceda. Taking into account all of the breaks and backroads that they’d have to take, I’d estimate that they’ll be here in around two hours.”
Bonnet nodded. “That sounds about right.” He took a look through a sheet of notes that detailed the reported cargo of the arms convoy. “These trucks should more than supply us, even with the newest wave of recruits from up north. We will be set up perfectly to occupy Juraceda and a lot of the nearby villages, should we need to.”
A teenager in all-black walked into the dining room, looking nervously between Bonnet and a few other UAC leaders. “Um, sir, the camera is prepared for you in the east bedroom on the second floor. My sergeant said to come and bring you up there…”
Bonnet smiled, stood up, and buttoned his black suit. “Of course. No worries, Private. I’m no snotty royal or grizzled drill officer. You can always ask me to do something, especially if it helps our cause.” The communist leader gave a shallow bow to the rest of his staff seated at the table. “Excuse me, everyone. I need to go record our big debut.”
—
Queen Katherina walked briskly down the hallway towards her secure intelligence room, her chief of staff and political advisor in tow. A group of royal guards formed lines in front of the group, a remnant of the heightened security measures from the weeks after the assassination of Queen Sophie.
The Royal Briefing Room was located deep within the heart of the palace, down in the basement. It was, by far, one of the most secure rooms in Lumiere. An army officer saluted and clicked a button on his desk as the monarch and her aides walked by, causing the locked door in front of them to swing open. Inside, two other officers were standing on either side of a table, a projector displaying the face of Alain Bonnet on the wall.
Katherina wasted no time, sitting at the head of the table. “Show me.”
Alain Bonnet, dressed in a surprisingly formal suit and tie, sat in a white-walled room, appearing well-kempt and respectable. “Good morning, my fellow Aurians. If you don’t already know me, my name is Alain Bonnet, and I represent… you. All of your frustration and sorrow, dedicated to a higher purpose: freeing you from our oppressors.”
“Over the past few years, we have all faced immense sorrow, pain, and fear at the hands of corrupt politicians and oppressive monarchs who have strangled our country and its citizens. We have been abused, neglected, and chained to an unchanging system so the rich and powerful can rob us blind and barely leave scraps for us. We have been taken advantage of by both the elites here at home and foreign powers who wish to use us as puppets and meat shields.”
“So we are no longer just asking for change. We will no longer blindly serve the powerful while they satisfy their own ambition. We will no longer be treated as something to be controlled, to be used and discarded, or to be held captive in our own nation. It’s time for us to take our own lives into our own hands and act. Queen Katherina and Prime Minister Arquette have delayed elections in order to suppress our voices. Let us show them just how loud we can be.”
“No matter if they hold elections or not, they cannot hold us back. All across the country, citizens are donning our black and red colors and taking to the streets, demanding change. I have personally spoken to a number of regional administrators who are just as sick of monarchist oppression as we are and who are ready to declare themselves loyal to our cause. We will not wait for them to tell us when we can act. The time for action is now.”
Bonnet stared at the camera lens dead-on. “If you are tired of them telling you what to do, stand up. If you are tired of them telling you what to think, speak up. If you are ready for a new era of Aurian governance, one based on trust and kindness rather than power and money, join us. The Commune will always welcome our siblings with open arms. Together, we can rebuild this nation anew, without ancient institutions and selfish leaders dictating what we can do. Together, we will heal our broken nation!”
The video went black, leaving the assembled officials to look at the Queen, who was barely disguising a sneer. “Get me Arquette, immediately. It’s time for us to designate the UAC as the terrorist organization that it really is. I will also need to speak with the Acting Minister of Justice and Acting Chief of the Gendarme.”
Celēn Duprē, her chief of staff, looked at her with concern. “But, your majesty, that will no doubt cause the Commune to escalate, maybe even to violence. What wi-”
“Then we’ll have to make sure that the Coalition forces stay around to take care of them!” The Queen’s tone was terse and hostile. “Get the Prime Minister on the phone, now. We don’t have time for idle chatter.”
6:32 AM
The cool and tranquil Aurian morning was almost picturesque, with a beautiful orange sunrise peeking through the rows of apple trees. Local finches sang their songs without care, only occasionally disturbed by activity on the ground. The derelict orchard seemed peaceful, a free haven away from the urban bustle of nearby Juraceda.
Who knew that such an idyllic place could be the birthplace of a revolution?
Inside the estate’s dark manor house, Alain Bonnet sat at the head of a grand mahogany dining table as his fellow communist revolutionaries hurried around him, occasionally handing him sheets of paper or photos. In a matter of weeks, their formerly small movement had exploded into a full-blown militia as thousands of discontented Aurians with nothing left to lose volunteered to join the cause. The United Aurian Commune was no longer a fringe activist group practicing civil disobedience, but a force to be reckoned with.
Bonnet glanced over to the woman on his right, who was listening to an old signal radio intently. “Any updates from the west, Deana?”
The lieutenant shook her head. “Not very much. The West Division isn’t very chatty. I think the commanders over there are paranoid of being heard, especially as Coalition troops search for gang members and remaining regime officials. Last I heard was about twenty minutes ago, when the convoy of arms reached the town of Cēnos, which…” She took a look at a nearby map of the country, “...Is about forty-five minutes west of Juraceda. Taking into account all of the breaks and backroads that they’d have to take, I’d estimate that they’ll be here in around two hours.”
Bonnet nodded. “That sounds about right.” He took a look through a sheet of notes that detailed the reported cargo of the arms convoy. “These trucks should more than supply us, even with the newest wave of recruits from up north. We will be set up perfectly to occupy Juraceda and a lot of the nearby villages, should we need to.”
A teenager in all-black walked into the dining room, looking nervously between Bonnet and a few other UAC leaders. “Um, sir, the camera is prepared for you in the east bedroom on the second floor. My sergeant said to come and bring you up there…”
Bonnet smiled, stood up, and buttoned his black suit. “Of course. No worries, Private. I’m no snotty royal or grizzled drill officer. You can always ask me to do something, especially if it helps our cause.” The communist leader gave a shallow bow to the rest of his staff seated at the table. “Excuse me, everyone. I need to go record our big debut.”
—
Queen Katherina walked briskly down the hallway towards her secure intelligence room, her chief of staff and political advisor in tow. A group of royal guards formed lines in front of the group, a remnant of the heightened security measures from the weeks after the assassination of Queen Sophie.
The Royal Briefing Room was located deep within the heart of the palace, down in the basement. It was, by far, one of the most secure rooms in Lumiere. An army officer saluted and clicked a button on his desk as the monarch and her aides walked by, causing the locked door in front of them to swing open. Inside, two other officers were standing on either side of a table, a projector displaying the face of Alain Bonnet on the wall.
Katherina wasted no time, sitting at the head of the table. “Show me.”
Alain Bonnet, dressed in a surprisingly formal suit and tie, sat in a white-walled room, appearing well-kempt and respectable. “Good morning, my fellow Aurians. If you don’t already know me, my name is Alain Bonnet, and I represent… you. All of your frustration and sorrow, dedicated to a higher purpose: freeing you from our oppressors.”
“Over the past few years, we have all faced immense sorrow, pain, and fear at the hands of corrupt politicians and oppressive monarchs who have strangled our country and its citizens. We have been abused, neglected, and chained to an unchanging system so the rich and powerful can rob us blind and barely leave scraps for us. We have been taken advantage of by both the elites here at home and foreign powers who wish to use us as puppets and meat shields.”
“So we are no longer just asking for change. We will no longer blindly serve the powerful while they satisfy their own ambition. We will no longer be treated as something to be controlled, to be used and discarded, or to be held captive in our own nation. It’s time for us to take our own lives into our own hands and act. Queen Katherina and Prime Minister Arquette have delayed elections in order to suppress our voices. Let us show them just how loud we can be.”
“No matter if they hold elections or not, they cannot hold us back. All across the country, citizens are donning our black and red colors and taking to the streets, demanding change. I have personally spoken to a number of regional administrators who are just as sick of monarchist oppression as we are and who are ready to declare themselves loyal to our cause. We will not wait for them to tell us when we can act. The time for action is now.”
Bonnet stared at the camera lens dead-on. “If you are tired of them telling you what to do, stand up. If you are tired of them telling you what to think, speak up. If you are ready for a new era of Aurian governance, one based on trust and kindness rather than power and money, join us. The Commune will always welcome our siblings with open arms. Together, we can rebuild this nation anew, without ancient institutions and selfish leaders dictating what we can do. Together, we will heal our broken nation!”
The video went black, leaving the assembled officials to look at the Queen, who was barely disguising a sneer. “Get me Arquette, immediately. It’s time for us to designate the UAC as the terrorist organization that it really is. I will also need to speak with the Acting Minister of Justice and Acting Chief of the Gendarme.”
Celēn Duprē, her chief of staff, looked at her with concern. “But, your majesty, that will no doubt cause the Commune to escalate, maybe even to violence. What wi-”
“Then we’ll have to make sure that the Coalition forces stay around to take care of them!” The Queen’s tone was terse and hostile. “Get the Prime Minister on the phone, now. We don’t have time for idle chatter.”
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