As we entered the People's Congress, the young Technocrat lying on the floor was carried out on a stretcher. Sabine made a phantom motion as if to turn after him, before rallying herself and walking diligently onward.
The People's Congress was a giant stadium with tens of thousands of seats spread across multiple stories. All around us, Militia members guided citizens into levels that still had capacity, or barred the way and redirected them to other seats or out of the building.
As we came closer and closer to the stage we got flanked by a pair of commissar and detail of Technocrats. They're leader was half walking half jumping on his spring like machine legs. One step at a time we ascended. The looks of thousands. Nigh millions of burned through my clothes and my neck ached terribly.
On stage, a man in his late forties waited for us. "I take it you would be delighted to choose where we hold the discussion," he said, bowing and gesturing with his hand toward three options: a table with two seats facing each other; two podiums across from each other; or a gigantic table with a chair so tall my feet would dangle above the ground.
Sabine elected to stride toward one podium, and Maxwealth chose the other. A drone flew down between them, equipped with cameras and a microphone. I slipped my phone out and checked the broadcast. As suspected, Maxwealth's face was visible while on the other side, the camera showed nothing but Sabine's chest.
I returned it to my pocket. "As is customary, I will introduce myself for the benefit of anyone from off-world, or anyone who missed the occasion where I was chosen to represent the will of the people and lay their questions bare before the Directorate."
Maxwealth said, bowing his head. "For my introduction: I'm Professor, Doctor, Sir Maxwell Striker. As my name suggests, I'm not a Meritocrat, but a Loyalist to the Hanoverian Throne, whose Scions have followed the pleads of the Directorate and are safeguarding our future as we speak." He bowed again in respect.
"I'm thankful for our Supreme Head Commissar Sabine for stewarding our planet in their absence and for representing the will and culture of the Directorate. With the introduction concluded, I would like to put forward the first question — one that flooded the various channels in the initial wave: how could it happen? Terrorist activities in the Lower City, and a nightmare outbreak." He looked down at his podium, most likely reviewing which question the majority wanted answered next.
"I appreciate that you cut to the meat of the matter swiftly," Sabine stated. "As for the presence of insurgents, their matter has already been disclosed by the Police and its branches. That information is available for public reading. Regarding the nightmare, our records do not recall any outbreak of this kind bypassing the early warning system, ichor accumulation, or patrols."
"Thank you for your words, Head Commissar. The people are grateful for your stewardship over our planet, but I must ask you to make room for the Technocratic delegate and request an account from their side." He glanced at me and Sabine's other aides. "And one of your aides, if the Military is not going to represent itself in person."
"You may not. The military is not at fault, and as such, they will not have to account for their actions."
"Very well," Maxwealth said, still searching for the next question he wanted to push forward. Sabine moved away and bowed to the Technocrat. He was a strange, wobbly old man, barely any gray hair on his bald scalp and wearing four pairs of goggles. He had machinery resembling springs for legs.
""I-I appreciate you for the courtesy of allowing us to make our own case," he stammered in a strange dialect. "As Mandated Commissar Sabine Kerth pointed out, there are no precedents for nightmare breaches have occurred in such a manner. Selected Militia Operative Squads are regularly performing maintenance and restoring equipment and structural damage. In accordance with high standards, only elite operative squads are selected, consisting solely of Corporals and Sergeants, similar to how Military Special Forces units are formed." He continued in his wobbly stance, shifting left and right on his springs.
"How then would you explain all of this? You can't possibly mean that the nightmares dug a tunnel beneath the surface and made their way to the lower city?" Maxwealth interjected with dry humor.
"Your guess could, in all likelihood, be correct!" The Delegate responded. "With no noticeable buildup of any nightmare ichor and our continued siphoning of it, we stopped any major buildup within the lower city or the tunnels of the sub-cities." Multiple projections flickered to life in the air high above the podiums, highlighting their information.
"This means the nightmare must have adapted to a different type of outbreak, discovered alternative means of transportation, or, eventually, without our equipment failing, happened to manifest in large quantities. Without showing signs on our system, the nightmare threat is a bizarre phenomenon to begin with. Their forms and capabilities are not bound by the fundamental laws of the universe, so all manner of possibilities open up before them!" He stretched his arms wide to emphasize the point.
Maxwealth showed obvious signs of worry. "If that's the case, how would you guarantee the citizens' safety if undetectable breaches are possible?"
"The simplest solution would be to increase our autonomy, allow greater quantities of resources to be allocated our way, and let our auxiliary forces patrol the lower city while the Directorate's forces maintain garrison on the walls-" The Technocratic Delegate managed to say before Sabine forced him aside.
"No such discussion has been had with the Technocrats as of now, and further funneling funds into their faction will be discussed at the next gathering in the People's Congress when the public has received sufficient deliberation time to gather their thoughts and form an educated opinion. As of now, the Militia will remain mobilized and patrol the streets and alleys in the upper and lower city until I make the inquiry to receive further aid from the Sector Capital."
"Surely, such drastic measures are not warranted because it would entail an assessment of confidence, which could see yourself replaced."
"For the well-being of the Directorate and its citizens, I'm willing to stand down if it means getting replaced by a more competent colleague," Sabine stated.