Code Antony

Crisis Of The Republic

Two days have passed since Julius Kaiser was killed. His murderers woke up the Russian people with their press conference on radio.

In the Moscovia Market, locally known as the Poor Man's Forum, some of the vendors, who were at the time fixing their products to sell, huddled in one large radio to listen.

"Who's that speaking?", one male vendor asked.

"Shh! We're trying to listen here," a female vendor responded.

"It's the Liberators!", another shouted after listening the introduction.

Just then, one would hear more of the market's usual noises than the radio speech itself.

"We know that!"

"How'd they get to broadcast?!"

"Hmph! Those Liberators are bad for business."

"Aww. Don't say that. They drive prices up like mad!"

"Easy for you to say. Your metals sell more than a dozen pieces of meat!"

"Bread, breasts, and creds! That's what we need!"

"You got nothing else to think but your lovers!"

"I say, let them eat cake. Free candle for every purchase."

"Speaking of candles, oil is spiking again with those Arabs trying to take advantage of the situation."

"Whatever happened to the conquests in the East? Where's the flow of new oil there?"

"We might as well heat our homes with candles."

"At least you've a home! I live in my cart!"

"Settle down! Some people are trying to listen!"

"Listen to my foot here!"

Indeed, while the marketplace begins to come to life once more, the broadcast continues. Speaking was Mark June Barotov, one of the Liberators, and ironically, one of Kaiser's closest friends. He is the most famous of the Liberators only because of his relations with Kaiser, for once upon a time, he was considered to be Kaiser's adopted heir. Who would not want to inherit Kaiser's estate, which has become the largest in Russia after the breakup of Krassa's?

"Resilience is our trait. We are people who can endure winters, and wars, as long as they last. Russians! Countrymen! Lovers! Hear me for our cause! Be silent, so you may hear! For all you who listen, believe me for I am honorable. Believe me for I am respectable. Think of it with your minds, awaken your senses, and be the judges. If any of you is a friend of Kaiser, believe me when I say that my love for the man is no less than yours! If any of you asks why Barotov did so to Kaiser, his beloved, then I say to you... I love Kaiser, but my love for Russia is greater. Kaiser is a dictator beyond imagination, and a Kaiser living will enslave this nation. With Kaiser dead, are you not all free men? Kaiser loved me, so I grieve. He was fortunate, so I celebrate. He was brave, so I honor him to the grave. But, get this... Kaiser is ambitious, so I ended his ambition! Now, who is offended? Who does not love his country? We leave our telephone lines open for any complaints. The numbers will be announced after this. We'll be back in five minutes, so stay tuned."

For various reasons, not a single person called the phone lines opened by the Liberators. What reigned in the air was the national anthem of the Russian Republic, which was looped until Barotov continued his speech.

"Therefore, I've offended none! Kaiser deserved death, and death did he receive. If you do believe in our cause, hear my plea. For two days, we have been holding out in the Capitol. So, I call upon the people, to flock the Capitol. No longer are you bonded, and you have nothing to lose but your chains. Go now, lovers, show the true power of the liberated! From there, we shall seize all other government buildings. When all is said and done, Russia shall forever be free. Long live liberty! Long live the Liberators!"

As soon as Barotov finished his speech, a crowd of some 500 people, armed with makeshift melee weapons such as pitchforks and bats, responded to his call within an hour's notice. By noon, when the people has reached at least 3,000, Barotov and some of the Liberators came out of the Capitol, but not in civilian clothes. They are in full battle gear, from helmets on their heads to boots covering their feet.

"Good countrymen, I thank you. Let us lead the way to victory! Off we go to freedom!"

First stop? The 4,000-strong ragtag army, still gathering more people as they go, marches towards Kaiser's Palace, the single largest symbol of Julius Kaiser's power over Russia. As they traversed the messy roads of Moscovia, they meet some 40 tanks guarding the entrance of the palace. One of the tanks open up, and behold the commander of the tank regiment, Aemilio Lepidov. A former president of Russia in 1954, Lepidov is one of Kaiser's lieutenants and was appointed to command over the tanks of Russia when Kaiser became dictator. In fact, Kaiser even dined in Lepidov's house the night before the former's assassination.

Barotov, aboard an army jeep, stood up and fired at Lepidov from his hand gun.

Lepidov dodged the shot, and then shouted, "Barotov! You sly dog!"

"Aemilio! You also deserved death, but I argued for your case! If you want to live, fall in with me!", Barotov declared as he raised his hand bearing the hand gun, "Long live the Liberators!"

"Ha! Are you threatening me, Barotov? The tanks of Russia are the strongest in the world! What can you do about it?"

As Lepidov laughed, some of the jeeps fired from their rear and caused two tanks to explode. The soldiers were shocked, and it was Barotov's turn to laugh.

"You're the one dreaming, Aemilio! Behold, the Mjolnir! The very hand of Jupiter has come upon you!", he said as he sat down.

The Mjolnir is actually an anti-tank gun named after the hammer of the thunder god. At least during the American Wars, there is no chance for any existing anti-tank gun to pierce through a Russian tank head on, which owed its invulnerability to a newly developed armor for the purpose. One has to get to the rear to at least stop the said tank.

"Barotov! The blood of these people shall be on your head!", Lepidov exclaimed as he went inside his tank and ordered to have all main guns trained on Barotov and his ragtag army.

Evidently, there are not enough Mjolnir guns to neutralize all the tanks at once. Tense moments reigned as no one seemed willing to fire the first shot. Then, an announcement thundered from the palace.

"Stop! I will not tolerate more bloodshed between our own people, the citizens of this land!"

Barotov jumped from his seat, and so did the other Liberators with him. The people were taken aback and many of them retreated, leaving their makeshift weapons behind out of their quick flight. The remaining hid behind the jeeps bearing the Mjolnir guns.

Barotov muttered to himself, "It c-can't...!"

The republic is in another crisis, perhaps even worse than in the days of Sulla. Russians fighting other nations. Russians fighting their own. Now, here we are. Whose voice disbanded the Liberators' army with a single sentence?