Post

Region: Barbaria

IC: Rebirth:
Z and his mother watch the "interview" of President Ion on the Blvd Show during the evening, Z's niece has long since gone to bed as Z and his mom try and not let her watch such shows but it works out because she is so young and finds them boring anyway other than the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The next day Z gets up, takes a shower, gets dressed and heads out the door on his way to work wearing the leather jacket he is renown for wearing by all those in his neighborhood. He makes his way along the sidewalks and down the streets listening to music. After walking for a bit he comes across a cart where a man is selling coffee and food.

"Hey Vincent I'll take the usual." Says Z.

"Morning Z. On your way to work I see. Did you catch the Dick on TV last night?" Vincent asks.

"Yeah me and ma watched it after Tonight last night. Ma didn't stay up to watch the whole thing, she can't stand Ion. Whole show was an obvious propo." Z responds as Vincent hands Z his cup of coffee and what looks like some donuts.

"Yeah you got that right. Glad I got outta there when I did. One tyrant after another is one thing but nothing good to watch but that stuff on TV every night? I think I'd rather they just shoot me then be bored to death by that poor excuse for entertainment." Says Vincent.

Z gives Vincent some money before continuing on his way to work "I think I'm with you on that one. Well I gotta get to work. I'll see ya later Vincent." says Z as he continues on his way. As Z leaves the food stand he sees an old man sitting on a street bench reading the newspaper. The old man throws the newspaper in a trashcan and spits on the front page. It's a local newspaper written in Tritran with a picture of Ion's face on the front page. Z gives a chuckle at the sight and continues on his way to work. After walking for a while longer Z comes across a small shop with a single garage door. Z uses his key and makes his way inside. Z makes his way past a counter/waiting/sales area goes through another doorway and into the garage area where there sit a number of motorcycles and bicycles in various states of assembly and teardown. The garage area is fairly large and goes from the front of the building all the way through to the back where there is another garage door. If one wanted to they could drive all the way through. It's almost as if someone enclosed an alley way and made it into one long garage. The front and back faces of the building don't take up hardly any space compared to the other storefronts. Definitely gives the feeling of a niche business in a neighborhood of small mom and pop businesses.

Z continues his way through the garage and then steps through another doorway into what looks like a small bar/tattoo parlor on the opposite of this garage. In this bar area sit a man who looks to be about middle aged on a barstool in what looks like a mechanic's jumpsuit smudged with oil and grease stains, whereas standing behind the bar is a much older gentleman with a buzzcut haircut, glasses, wearing a white t-shirt, a mechanic's jumpsuit but with the upper part pulled off and hanging behind him and with arms covered in tattoos.

"Hey there Z did you bring us breakfast?" Says the older man with a rough, gruff voice.

"Yup got your donuts right here." Says Z as he buts a box of donuts on the bartop. They open the box and each begin eating the donuts and drinking coffee.

"That was quite some TV last night wasn't it?" says the middle aged man.

"Would've been better if they had just started the infomercials early honestly." Z replies.

"I ever see that Ion... rip his... and $h!t down... wouldn't know a..." The older man goes on a long run on sentence that is frankly one of the most picturesque episodes of swearing that one could ever see conducted by mortal souls. Truly a sight to behold. Z and the middle aged man just sit there listening to the eloquent use of language in awe occasionally looking at each other and giving a slight chuckle as is typical when discussing Tritran leadership with this wise old fellow before them.

After a few minutes the older man stops and the two witnesses just sit in silence for a moment before Z finally pipes up and says "Damn boss I think that's a new record." to which Z's boss Jerome or "Jerry" and his coworker Maurice or "Mac" all burst out laughing. After that the men get to work with Z and Mac working on the motorcycles and bicycles for most of the day with Jerry sitting in the bar in the back reading, smoking, and giving the occasional tattoo to the random customer who comes in or having a long conversation about times long past with old friends who come in just about everyday.

Z works on the less urgent and less important jobs in the garage as he "learns" from the masters who do the bigger, more important stuff. Z is also tasked with fixing the bicycles that kids bring in to have fixed or "tuned up" to keep the kids out of the hair of Mac or Jerry who don't mind the kids but have more important projects that need doing. Z and Mac listen to the music of the radio as they work through the day. Z is hard at work trying to get several kid's bikes done for when they come to get them after school lets out. Eventually the kids start pouring past as the "cool guys" who work there interest them. Z delivers the finished bikes to their rightful owners as well as teaches them some bike tricks out in front of the shop to the concern of some parents who look on from the distance in case of scrapped knees and elbows. As the day goes on the "work" comes to an end as the bar begins seeing more and more business and the whole garage and bar become a sort of hangout and the guys work on their own projects and the like. Just another day in the life for countless Tritran-Hyperboreans. Unhappiness at the news of their long tormented, far flung homeland and going to work and coming home to be with friends and family.

The night of the Kaiser's interview on the Tonight Show is a big hit among Hyperboreans especially with the Tritran-Hyperborean and Sovern-Hyperborean communities. Families all across Hyperborea, Z and his family included, are glued to the TV laughing and having a good time. The next morning Z gets up and washes his face and then looks at himself in the bathroom mirror. He looks at his tattoo that rests just at the base of his neck which reads "Cassius" and just stares at the tattoo for a moment as he thinks back on the times when he was a little boy in Tritra. Back in a time when his father Ozymandias was still alive. He thinks of what could have been if things in Tritra hadn't of gone down hill like they did with one awful leader after another and one corrupt regime following another. He remembers the time when his father and his mother took him and his brother on a trip throughout Tritra and the later trip they went on around Hyperborea. His parents wanted to make sure that he and his brother had pride in their heritage on both sides. Yet now it's hard for him to even remember a time when his Tritran mother had pride in the nation of her birth let allow he had such pride in it.

On his way to work Z keeps going between thinking about the things the Kaiser said on TV the night before and about the events of his life and the unhappiness with the lost home of so many Tritran-Hyperboreans which is gone over everyday it seems. For some reason Z cant just stop thinking about it all. He thinks about it all day while he works. That evening Z is working on his own personal project, a customized little cafe racer. Z decides to go for a ride to try and clear his mind. He gets on his bike and rides out of the city out into the countryside. He hopes the country air will help settle his thoughts. After riding long into the night Z pulls over to the side of the road atop a hill overlooking the city. "That's it. It's time someone did something." Z races back to the garage and grabs cans of spray paint. After spending several hours out that night Z quietly sneaks his way into the house trying not to wake anyone. He grabs some pens, pencils, and papers and goes to his room where he sits at his desk working on something.

The next day the enclave of Tritrans far away from home awakes to graffiti and posters of artwork which read "CASSIUS LIVES" and "Down with Tyrants" along with pictures of Ion with Xs for eyes or goofy faces. There are also flyers scattered all throughout the city which read like a manifesto.

"TRITRANS! For far too long our nation has suffered, tortured at the hands of greedy tyrants while the people, THE REAL PEOPLE OF TRITRA, have been held captive under the boots of the tyrants or driven from our homeland by their lackeys. The time of sitting around and complaining is over. Now is the time for action. Our people, THE REAL SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF TRITRA, founded a movement. A movement of peace. Which sought to bring peace and prosperity to a long tortured land. THE CASSIUS MOVEMENT LIVES AGAIN!"

The whole enclave of Tritran-Hyperboreans in Poitain is left abuzz at this new turn of events. The funny thing is is that nobody bothers to clean up any of the graffiti or the posters or the flyers. The people are talking. Meanwhile a very tired Z spends most of the day asleep after a very, VERY long night.

SIC: The office is dim, echoed by the crackling of the fireplace's embers. President Ion can be seen filing paperwork while enjoying a cigar, and a glass of fine wine. Secretary of State, Pierre Daru III. enters the room with what appears to be more paperwork, introduced to what appears to be more work, President Ion sighs, "Oh how lovely, more paperwork." he sarcastically grovels.

"No, sir." Mr. Daru denies, "It is something important you should look at, Mr. President." he adds before handing the President a manila folder of pictures, and an attached document containing the context of the situation, basically outlining the recent activity with the Tritran-Hyperboreans in Lutetia. After reviewing the information, President Ion sits back, holding in the flavor from his finished cigar. An ash tray was put on the desk from an underneath cubby. His crushes the cigar and throws the butt in a trash can. "I see. The expats are a bit irritated with how I have been running the country they've decided to leave. I believe that his deserves some attention, what do you say in setting up a meeting with the Cabinet?" President Ion ponders to his aid, "Yes, sir. I believe that this deserves some attention, good calling." his Secretary of State confirms.

The following morning arrives and a cabinet meeting was held over the topic, the information was presented and the meeting has begun. To introduce the general plan, President Ion makes an opening statement to his body of advisors.

"The expats - as they call their cause the 'Cassius Movement', is a neo-liberal movement that aims at toppling this current administration and replacing it with a more 'peaceful' one. I have long been known to this movement as it was once fairly popular in Tritra during the Dominion occupation, an era when Tritra was a puppet to the Dominion during their theocratic control. However, we were able to break free during the liberation war that was aided by the Hyperboreans.

However, this is a new generation, coming from one where the movement was at its highest. Something very influential and connected to the masses. While doing some research, it would appear they have a leader, the name is unknown but more information will be gathered within time, they come from an enclave in Hyperborea. I have assembled you here today for your plausible solution to this situation." President Ion finishes.

Francis Bondeau IV. stands at attention for his address, "Mr. President, I have some points I wish to put on the floor, if you may."

"Of course, you may proceed." President Ion opens the floor.

"As you know, I come from a long line of strategists, as for it is within my blood for to decide what would be best in terms of logistical movements and counter-engagements. They are coming from Hyperborea, an impoverish enclave, so it would be logical to assume their movement is limited, but they would have to rely on what infrastructure connects us to Vostag. We could temporarily shut down them, but that could do more harm than good. It could disrupt trade, commerce, and the thin line of diplomacy we have with the Hyperboreans. It is a risky decision, and in which could only last so long. It wouldn't be worth just to stop some expats. I reckon we draw them here, let them protest. Once they become violent, then we can crack them down. They couldn't escape, as it would take time for them to flee back to Hyperborea."

"Interesting point, you have something going for you, but drawing them here with intention could spark suspicion, and we don't need any bad publicity. The main objective of our administration is to improve the nation and its image. Targeting dissent is something barbaric, uncivilized. I will say your main body is perfect, let them come here. Let them preach and protest. What harm could that cause?"

More points were made by some of the members of President Ion's Cabinet. The meeting was adjourned, and a plan was carried out under the hushed voice of Mr. Ion.

Context • Report