Alternia's New Order

Chapter Two

The once hectic room has now shifted to a comfortable silence. The anticipation among all twelve trolls made the air seem heavier as the Grand Council walked onto the screen. All ten council members stood along a rectangular grey slab of a table, the head speaker taking his place on the far left end. He announced that the new policies would be given in the same order of the Empress' old laws. At that, all the other members were seated. The Speaker pulled a scroll out of his long sleeve and you gulped. Here we go.

The laws of the Empress had started with the establishment of her monarchy. Under the New Order, it would mean what was now called a "Democracy". That is probably the dumbest name for anything you have ever heard, but hey, anything was better than living under that condescending bitch. You almost started to feel bored after a few minutes. The discussion was full of droll political terms and was dragging into territory irrelevant to anyone who isn't excruciatingly retarded.

After about half an hour, the moment you've been nervously biting at your lip over has come. "Policies on dealing with the mutant and disabled" announces the Speaker. Oh Gog. You immediately sit up straighter at this, Terezi shifting in your arms with the same anticipation.

After reading through the old policies of the Empress, the Speaker clears his throat and goes on. "Under the New Order, these trolls are no longer to be culled for their disabilities and/or mutations". And a small smile begins to creep across your face. There is a cheer and some applause throughout the room. You see Tavros high-five Vriska, only checking to make sure she hadn't broken any of his fingers after she turned away. It was over. You feel almost free. You'd probably be crying for joy right now if you weren't too much of a badass leader for that shit. Terezi lifts her head and kisses your cheek, her smile just as wide as yours. She has come to the same conclusion. A happy life was finally a possibility for you. A career, a future, maybe a-

"The lives of these individuals will not be wasted, but instead put to better use." Your thoughts are cut short as the Speaker goes on. Everyone seems a bit confused as their attention is snapped back to the screen. What was he babbling about? There was no need for more on this matter. Your life would be perfect now, end of fucking story. What else could there be?

"Trolls of the mutant and disabled class shall be sold into the service of those in need of their labor. This new policy, "Slavery", shall begin immediately." The smiles on all twelve trolls faces slowly fade as this announcement comes through the viewport.

Slavery? Okay. Maybe now is when you should start crying. But for some reason, you can't. You are in too much shock to do anything. Everyone has gone dead silent, obviously having the same reaction. There is more talk from the Speaker about the stipulations of this new policy, but it seems no one is paying any attention.

The New Order that was so important to you all before has no more meaning. Staring at the screen with glassy yellow eyes, you only catch the Speakers last statement. "All trolls of this status must report to the Central Empire and turn themselves in by the end of the week. If not, they will be hunted down and culled by emergency drones." Sollux is the one who decides enough is enough. He quickly stands and flips off the viewport, and no one stops him. No one says a word. It feels like hours are passing, days, in only a few seconds.

You are still too stunned to speak, but everyone is looking at you. You want to tell them all off. To ask what in the everlasting fuck they wanted from you. To yell and curse and tell them all what idiotic nookwiffers they are acting like. You open your protein chute, expecting the rant to flow out naturally as it always does. You are surprised when only a faint choking sound emerges. It's almost like your vocal cords are frozen. Sollux begins walking towards you, and it is at this moment you realize you aren't the one being starred at.