บท 51: - Rally of Violence
"Why would we spend so much time throwing our lives away for a senseless cause? Too many of our people have died during this war already. Let us be the ones to end the suffering.
What I am about to say may sound somewhat hypocritical, but I believe it is justified. It is the common people who are forced to fight and die in this war. Not the politicians, who sit in the Solar System in their huge houses, living their lavish lives that were built on the blood of billions. Not the Generals, who conduct plans to be carried out on battlefields they will never step foot on. Not many of the Admirals of the navy, who prefer to dictate their fleet from a safe location. No, it is the common people who bear the brunt of the pain and suffering the war with the Covenant have caused us. And, while you may disregard me after hearing that, because those words come from the mouth of a politician, just know that I spend my time fighting in the courts and in the Human Assembly. I fight my battle in the hope that the people of humanity will never have another battle to fight."
"How can you be sure that we will be safe with the Bloody Dawn? How can you be certain that they won't just enslave us once we try to make peace?" Shouted a voice from the crowd.
It was clear that a lot of the people who had attended the event did so only out of their dislike for the United Way. Perhaps some had come out of a genuine curiosity about the philosophy of the faction, but most had come either to try and cause a scene or to reinforce their prejudices against the United Way.
"I won't lie to you and tell you that I know how everything is going to work out, because I don't. It could end up being a grave mistake. But I know that by looking through history, and understanding the state of this war, that continuing to throw bodies into the battlefield will only increase our suffering as a collective," Mileena said in response to the voice.
"What about the people that have already died?" Called another voice. "You are okay with trampling on their graves to forge a peace with the Bloody Dawn? You are willing to tarnish the memories of all of those who have sacrificed their lives for a better tomorrow to put us in the worst place our species has ever been in?"
The question received applause from individuals throughout the crowd, an applause which caused Mileena to pause for a moment before responding.
"I do this not to tarnish the memory of the brave souls who gave their lives in service of humanity during this war. I do this to honour their memory, to grant the wish to humanity that they died fighting to achieve. The wish that humanity could look to the future and see hope, rather than the bleak darkness of a seemingly endless war."
"Why should we try for peace with the Bloody Dawn?" called yet another voice. "When we encountered them, we offered an equal partnership with them, just like we did with the Trellior. They took one look at us and spat on our offer, and tried to crush us under their heel. Why should we trust them to want peace? Why shouldn't we avenge the Anahli massacre?"
"The more of this I watch, the more I want to kick that politician off the stage myself," Commander Amuti muttered. "She is deluded. She wishes to make peace a reality, but she does this by forgetting the terrors and atrocities that the Bloody Dawn have done to us."
"Listen to her. Calling them the Covenant, as if they themselves do not call themselves the Bloody Dawn," Mykolos said in a tone of agreement. "She would have us believe they are a group of pacifists."
Looking at the surveillance tech that was set up throughout the rally, Gus could see something akin to battle lines forming through the crowd. Some people looked at those who spoke out against the Unified Way with disdain and even hatred, showing emotions that ran in direct opposition to their beliefs on the war. Meanwhile, those who agreed with them moved closer to them, wishing to congratulate them for saying something with words or a slap on the back.
Raising his hand, he spoke into his comm device. "Reapers, get ready. Something's about to happen, and everyone here is going to be involved in it." Looking across at the others in the room, he said, "we should be ready to move. Who knows how quickly this could devolve into conflict."
"Agreed," Commander Amuti said.
In the time it took them to grab their weapons, Repeaters that had been loaded with the same type of stun shots that they used in the academy, the situation had drastically deteriorated.
Small clashes began breaking out between the people who were pro United Way and anti United Way. Despite there being no weapons in the crowd thanks to the tight security around the perimeter of the dome, the scene was still brutal. People flailed their limbs in a vicious manner, with those involved showing an inhuman desire to hurt those with different opinions to them.
By the time the EDF actually emerged, the fights had already taken a fair toll on the crowd. The EDF, along with the Reapers and the Knights, surrounded the crowd and fired the stun rounds into locations where the fighting was happening, hoping to subdue the instigators and remove them from the area.
"What's that?" Mykolos asked, speaking to his comm device. His eyes widened and he looked into the crowd with an expression of urgency and dread plastered onto his face.
Before Gus could ask what the issue was, a loud sound erupted from the crowd. It was a sound he recognised, especially since it was so similar to the sound the Repeater emitted. The only difference was the volume.
Someone had just fired a live round in the crowd.
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