Dark Crow Rising

Taking another sip of my tea, I relax into my chair. Looking up from one of the first newstablets we printed this morning, I frown at my record player. I ruin my comfort and turn the noise up, returning to the chair just as quickly as I left it. Getting my act back together, resume my usual proofreading of what is currently out in the streets.

I look slightly to my left and out the window as a fireball erupts. Perhaps an Errakurd immigrant defending themself, perhaps a barrel of flammable material or even a downed police airship. A noise of thought bounces around my sealed mouth and I blow it out onto the steaming tea. That same noise gurgles the hot liquid as it goes down.

Everything seems to be in order, the code has been safely and clearly inserted into the day's news. Now, while I am most certain we won't be seeing our usual profits when it comes to sales, so long as at least one newstablet gets into the right hands, I am happy. We don't exactly make these things with the most magic-dense of stone and clay, but, it's not fine porcelain either. You'd need a loaded vehicle to smash a newstablet sales box and they're all being called up.

Nevermind the riots, I don't think anyone's been on time to work as of late because it's all requisitioned. If it can carry a person or load reliably, the Gnomon has ordered it seized. I think only bicycles and motorbikes are still in the hands of people and even they are being taken. While they can't be used to contribute to the evacuation, it's a good chance to get some material goods up north.

Maybe I made a mistake telling people they could go ahead and evacuate without handing in any form of notice. I have no idea who has and who isn't away and gone to safety. In fact, a fair chunk of what I have left should be gone by now. I would be wise to check on what few employees I have left here, actually.

Thankfully, I suppose, my cup of tea is now finished and I am otherwise caught up on the news. So, I set the cup and tablet down and get back up. Taking a brief diversion to my wide set of windows, I look down at the messed-up streets. The riots seem to be shifting in large part towards the ways out of this mountain city.

An abandoned pet whimpers into view in a distant alley. It rushes off to join a group of other animals and they get on with their own version of looting. Clicking my tongue at the reminder, I open my desk's secret compartment and look over my secret service barbur. Unlike the usual kind handed out to officers in the army, my one uses smaller cases in a revolving chamber.

Not the best admittedly for if I am stuck in a firefight, but, enough punch to scare the nosey off. Disassembling the weapon as much as is feasibly possible, I slip it under my suit's coat and test the time to grip. Nodding in satisfaction, I twirl the gun back into my makeshift pocket holster. A few buttons looped through their holes and I am presentable.

Leaving my office with the cup and newstablet, I stroll through the surprisingly noisy building. I know full well it's not what's going on outside making it in here, I'm the only one paying any mind to the mayhem. These normal lot don't have the stomach to hear such violence. I doubt they'd keep their cool over a flick even.

"My dear, did something happen?" I ask one of my best girls from the type room. She said to me not that long ago, the other night I even believe, she said she was going to be evacuating. With her family, naturally.

The shaken, clearly once teary-eyed woman looks up at me. Her trembling hands stop working and the rest of the room seems to make her their spokesperson. She starts to pat around the nearby tray filled with stuff from our delivery room and she drops it. She jumps at the loud bang and rushes it back up.

Putting my stuff down, I take the opened, government-marked package and pull the tablet out. Minding where my dominant hand goes, I pat around for my reading glasses and slip them on. I hate these things but it's all for the act, all for the act. With a clicking tongue, I find the piece of information most likely responsible for why I still have so many workers.

"...To all distributors of information and those with the capacity to print and publish, heed this message. Until the Ibenoroccon demographic and their essential goods have been evacuated, all other evacuations and exfiltrations are on hold. Signed, Grandguard Inerish under the rights of the Emergency Powers Act." I read out loud, my usual noises not coming out as the drowning noise of tears fills the room.

"Wh-What're we going to do!?" one woman asks as it becomes increasingly apparent from her crude get-up that she was turned away at the air-docks. She and her entire family no doubt. Mmmmmm, what a strange order to be putting out at such a time. But, I am sure His Royal Highness will be more than happy to learn of this.

This is but one more piece of the puzzle that he intends to present to the politicians within the Mountain of the Union. Admittedly, I am not sure what more evidence he could possibly want regarding the validation of his planned war. But, at the same time, I suppose it's all necessary for the theatrics of it all. It doesn't matter if the bullied child stands up for himself if the teacher does not see the bully strike first.

I will need to pass this on to the boys in the printing room right away if they do not already have a copy. I'll then have to spend time getting the information pipeline back into order for this erratic change. His Royal Highness has already passed on orders regarding the speed-up of information exchange but this is something else. Squeezing the Gnomon-printed stone tightly, I look my employees over.

"If you cannot get your families back safely home, feel free to bring what you can here. There is more than enough room within our walls. Walls a good forearm thick, mind you." I tell them and the girl closest breaks down sobbing.

"Th-Th... Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Uelpepys, thank you!" she goes, rushing off to the nearest means of communication along with a few others. Maybe later I will put out the order and or demand to start having our floors cleaned and tidied up. We don't exactly keep mattresses on hand here, but, we can make room for makeshift beds and cots for any babes.

Giving them all a confident nod, I make my way down the nearby stairs and get to the emergency stop button. Pushing down on it firmly, I grab the attention of our engineers and those working down in this part of the building. Moving onto the speaker's platform, I tap away at the microphone. The clay-stained workers start to gather and some from upstairs stop to listen again.

I raise the state's mandate, "In my hand, I have a new order from the Gnomon regarding the immediate policy of evacuation. As some of you may already know, you and your families were turned away at the roads and air docks. Now, the reason for this is because the government has just instituted a policy of Ibenoroccon preference-"

"HOW COULD THEY!? WE'RE NOT AN IBENOROCCON CITY! THERE'RE BARELY ANY OF THEM LIVING HERE!" one man roars with all the pent-up fury he has. Like but one demolition charge in the sequence, so many more go off after. A fair few nearby objects are suddenly kicked aside, damaged or freshly dented.

Bringing my hands up, I gesture for calm and keep my expression firm and unyielding, "I understand many of you were hoping to be on a spiral-train or airship with your families by now... But, we are all forced to remain here for the time being. I want you all to know that this place is open to your families if you do not feel safe getting them through the streets should your homes prove to be too far away. Remember, this building is legally required to be within a certain vicinity of the air docks and the spiral-train stations. Once this ridiculous order passes, you will be able to quickly make your way out of the city when the time comes."

"BUT WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY GOT OUT OF HERE!" someone screams down from up high.

"YEAH! THOSE DAMN DROWNING BASTARDS HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE GIVEN THIS SPECIAL TREATMENT!"

"WE MIGHT AS WELL GUT THEM ALL AND SPEED THE PROCESS ALONG!"

"YEAH!" too many to comprehend roar.

"IS NO ONE IN THE GNOMON PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GIANT!? IT'S HEADING RIGHT FOR US AND THEY'RE DOING THIS CRAP!?"

The crowd gets out of control and I wait with a mental smile. Well, His Royal Majesty is most certainly going to be happy with the state of the people now. If anything, now that I think about it, the riots are going to get worse. The city guard and their called-upon estate guard brethren are going to be forced to ensure foreigners are evacuated before their own families.

Not even just families... This tablet here is quite explicit with its involvement of assets and monetary items as well. Businesses were warned that they were not to clog up evacuation transports with their goods. And yet, here, in government-approved writing is an order that will allow airships that can fit dozens of families to be instead filled with treasure not bound for any national bank...

I take off my glasses and slot them back into their pocket.

"Please, everyone, quiet. Quiet." I repeat as much as I need to. The last fires of anger start to calm down but the embers are still all too eager to eat what oxygen they can. Just a little more kindling and I am back to square one.

I finish with the calming gestures.

"Please, go get your families, bring them here, they will be safe. I will handle the printing of this here order and unfortunately, those in the delivery room will need to make sure this gets out. While I cannot promise any reward at the time, I will make sure those in the tabletkeeping department write those who do, do it. I will make sure you are given an appropriate bonus to compensate for such a vile task. Now, please, to your families, ensure their safety first."

The building starts to empty out and someone thankfully has the forethought to sound the end-of-day alarm. Some people are still here so I assume they must've already gotten their families to safety or out of the city. Hopefully, so very hopefully, they have achieved the latter. I honestly have no idea how to comprehend their worries as my family is all the way on the continent's east coast.

They couldn't be safer if we account for the path of this mysterious giant.

An engineer approaches me, his hands a chalky white from the handling of material, "What now, sir?"

"Now, we do as we always do, we print." I answer, rolling up my sleeves and preparing my outfit for a fine day's messy work. The engineer helps with opening up the mother box and I slot in the government's emergency order. With a hefty chomp, the machine reboots itself and I set aside what was in there before.

"It's not right what's going on, sir, it's not right." the wrinkled man whines as he clutches his cap. I put a hand on his shoulder and firmly pat him. He doesn't know of my actual profession, but, he can feel the strength it gives my grip.

"Do not worry, so long as there is power in the sky, justice will come." I tell him, sneaking in a reference to the true faith our people should follow. Might will guide us through these hard times.