Chapter 66: The Inauguration
It was the day of Miro’s inauguration as the first dictator of Sapey. A huge crowd had gathered in the town square, where a large stage had been set up in front of the statue of Hamlet. Next to the statue, a huge screen had been set up displaying the billions of Tibers in Tiberius’ bank account.
Tiberius was held in a large cage dangling from the side of the partially constructed palace on the other side of the town square. He was perfectly placed to watch the inauguration and see the screen.
In the front row of the crowd, the Alset family members stood next to Henders, Benny, Hermon, and Duffo. Julie stood further back on the steps of the hotel. Fabien, formerly known as Head Enforcer, was standing near the back of the crowd with the remaining former members of the imperial guards, who were now wearing ordinary clothes.
Loud comical music began to blare out. General Cecil, followed by the enforcers that attacked the cult’s underground city, marched down the main road towards the town square. The technicians cheered in jubilation. Cecil energetically saluted them as he marched past, and the enforcers copied him.
Behind these enforcers was Head Enforcer Eric with the local enforcers. Eric was twirling a baton, and his enforcers were performing a comical strut dance to the delight of the cheering technicians.
After the march past, a large group of enforcers returned to line the main road. Cecil and Eric stood at the bottom of the stage. Duffo and Hermon made their way on stage. Duffo stood behind the podium.
‘Those were our great warriors who ended the threat from the vile terrorist cult,’ said Duffo emphatically as he pumped his fist in the air.
The technicians cheered loudly.
‘Today is an historic day,’ said Duffo as he looked around at the energised crowd. ‘We declare our first dictator of Sapey. This will be the first of what we all hope will be the first of many one-year terms.’
The technicians applauded loudly.
‘Before we do that,’ chuckled Duffo as he looked up at Tiberius. ‘Our wonderful head of the Economic Institute has something special for all of you.’
Duffo stepped back from the podium and Hermon stepped forward.
‘Money, money, money,’ chuckled Hermon. ‘I suggest all of you take out your portable devices and log into your bank accounts. You’re in for some real fun.’
The technicians began humming with excitement as they pulled out their phones and other portable devices.
‘Hey Benny!’ called out Hermon. ‘Time to let them have it.’
Benny joyfully held up his thumb, and then he began typing on his tablet. A few seconds later, the technicians roared with joy. Tiberius’ account balance on the huge screen began to start dropping dramatically.
Tiberius started to shout and swear as he angrily shook the bars on his cage.
The cheering, celebrating, and jubilance continued for several minutes after Tiberius’ account hit zero.
‘Look! Look! You’re all rich now!’ shouted Hermon excitedly. ‘No more debts, just plenty of your own wealth.’
The technician cheered again.
‘All thanks to guess who?’ shouted Hermon as he spun around wildly in joy. ‘Yes, me. Your head of the Economic Institute. I made you so rich and happy.’
The technicians began a loud Hermon chant. Hermon joyfully pranced off stage to join Benny, who was awkwardly smiling.
A few minutes past, and finally, the joyous chants and applause died down again.
Duffo returned to his position behind the podium. ‘Now that we’ve set the mood, it’s time to inaugurate our new and first dictator,’ he shouted. ‘Let me introduce you to Dictator Miro.’
Loud majestic music began to blare out. The robots Bastion and Bellamy marched down the main road. Belford and the two Roger robots followed them. Behind them was Miro, who was sitting on a throne-like chair that was being carried by Polly and Jennifer.
The technicians began to clap and stomp their feet as the small procession made its way to the town square.
‘Give it here,’ said Hermon to Benny. ‘This is going to be so funny.’
‘I’m worried we might get into trouble,’ sighed Benny as he handed Hermon a conical hat with the letter ‘D’ on it.
‘He’s too dense to figure it out,’ chuckled Hermon. ‘Trust me. It’s a points’ winner for us.’
Polly and Jennifer lowered the chair so that Miro could climb off it. Cecil and Eric greeted him and then escorted him onto the stage. Hermon handed Duffo the conical hat. Duffo smiled playfully at Hermon as he accepted the hat.
Duffo grabbed a microphone from the podium and handed it to Miro. The music stopped and the clapping from the technicians died down when Cecil signalled with his hands for silence.
‘Grand Vizier Miro,’ said Duffo loudly as he leaned on the podium and looked at Miro. ‘Our executive council wishes to bestow upon you the title of Dictator for one year while the Empire transitions to an alternative fairer system of governance. Do you swear as Dictator to uphold the values of Sapey, the technicians, the Downs residents, and all other Linap and Sapiens both below and above ground?’
‘Yes, I do, Head Philosopher Duffo,’ replied Miro loudly and clearly as he grinned at the crowd.
‘There’s some other stuff here, but let’s just get to it, shall we?’ said Duffo excitedly.
‘He’s just as lazy as you,’ sighed Benny as he looked at Hermon, whose eyes were intensely bulging as he stared at the stage.
Miro walked towards the front of the stage. He held his arms out to the side of him with his palms facing up. Duffo picked up the conical hat and stood behind him.
Julie, who was still standing by the hotel, noticed a slight shimmer briefly appear in front of Miro, who had now closed his eyes.
Duffo was about to place the hat on Miro’s head when suddenly, Miro’s head disappeared. A fountain of blood spouted up from his neck. Duffo fell over backwards in shock and terror. The technicians began to scream in horror. Miro’s badly chewed up head reappeared as it bounced off the stage into the crowd. Tiberius roared with joy as he frantically shook the cage he was in.
Both Cecil and Eric jumped off the stage and sprinted away. The lined-up enforcers were not sure how to respond as the chaos unfolded before them. They were hoping to be given some order to do something, but Cecil was too busy trying to escape the town square. Then suddenly, their heads began to fly off their shoulders. It was as if a powerful, sharp blade were gliding down the main road, slicing everything in its path.
‘We’re being invaded!’ shouted Duffo, who had now rolled off the stage. ‘Shut the gates! Stop more getting in!’
The enforcers ran towards the main gate. As they ran, more and more of them were being sliced to pieces. Julie sprinted past Hermon and Benny, who were running into the hotel for safety. She saw Henders gasping in desperation on the ground. He had a large gash across his chest. Julie shapeshifted into August, grabbed Henders, placed him on his shoulders, and then they both became invisible.
A group of enforcers closed and then securely bolted the main gate. A larger group of enforcers grabbed some weapons from the parked vehicles next to the Downs Agriculture Zone. They also grabbed a few helmets with built-in infrared goggles. To their dismay, the goggles were broken. The enforcers charged back to the town square where the carnage continued.
Body parts continued to fly through air. The enforcers opened fire in the general direction of their invisible enemy. After firing nonstop for around a minute, the violence stopped. Most of the crowds had managed to escape down side streets and into buildings. The sudden silence felt even more terrifying than the screams from a few seconds earlier. The enforcers made their way towards where they thought they had shot the invisible creature.
Suddenly, the two leading enforcers were flung into the air. Both were torn in half in front of the others. In fear, the enforcers struggled to operate their weapons. These enforcers were sliced and ripped to pieces. Another group of enforcers were about to charge in and attack but instead turned around and sprinted away in fear.
Duffo ran into the hotel lobby and then marched into the hotel lounge, where Hermon and Benny were curled up on a sofa crying. ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ shouted Duffo. ‘We’re being invaded, and you decide to cry like babies.’
‘Please make it stop,’ whimpered Hermon. ‘I’m so scared.’
‘Oh shit!’ shouted Duffo. ‘Where’s that bastard Cecil?’
Fabien casually walked into the lounge. ‘Looks like you need a real Head Enforcer,’ he said as he approached them.
‘You’re behind this, aren’t you, sick bastard?!’ shouted Duffo.
‘I’m not a traitor like some of us,’ said Fabien angrily.
‘What do you want then?’ shouted Duffo. ‘Money, fame, a new apartment!’
‘I want Emperor Tiberius fully reinstated,’ said Head Enforcer. ‘He’s our rightful leader.’
‘No!’ shouted Duffo. ‘Now get out!’
Fabien chuckled and then turned around and left.
‘Let’s bring him back,’ sobbed Hermon. ‘I don’t want to die.’
Duffo kicked a coffee table over in rage.
Meanwhile in the town square, Tiberius was singing as he rattled his cage. The attacking enforcers had all been killed. A medium-sized Sentray appeared in the town square. He looked up at Tiberius. His eyes glowed red in rage.
‘Haha, well done,’ cheered Tiberius.
The Sentray roared ferociously, and with a single massive leap, he flew through the air, landing on the side of Tiberius’ cage. Tiberius moved to the back of the cage while the Sentray tried frantically to rip it open.
‘This thing is Sape-proof, you freak,’ shouted Tiberius.
The Sentray repeatedly slammed the cage into the palace, trying to rip it off. Tiberius responded by laughing in a maniacal tone.
August, who had now shapeshifted into a surgeon, had arrived at the medical centre with Henders. He had taken him into an operating theatre to stitch up his huge wound. He had sedated him to spare him the pain.
‘I’m going to fix you,’ said August as he began stitching up his wounds. ‘You’re going to be fine, I swear.’
After an hour, he had completed the surgery. Henders’ condition was stable. August wheeled the bed with Henders on into a recovery room.
August kissed Henders on the forehead and then exited the room. The corridors of the medical centre were crowded with the injured. August walked into the main lobby, where more injured were being wheeled in.
Suddenly there was a deafening roar. The glass in the lobby shattered to pieces. Glass flew in all directions, hitting the already injured as well as medical staff.
August scanned the front of the medical centre with his eyes, trying to pick up the shape of the Sentray. He saw a strange shimmering enter through the shattered window. He shapeshifted into himself, and then he charged as fast as he could. He slammed into the Sentray, causing him to become visible.
August frantically slashed the Sentray. He only managed to cause a few surface wounds. August dropped down between the Sentray’s legs and began slashing at his belly. The Sentray began to swing around furiously. August climbed up onto his back and drove his claws into the Sentray’s neck. The Sentray screamed in pain and flipped August hard over his shoulder.
The Sentray tried to stomp on August. August rolled from side to side to avoid the stomps. August got up again to attempt to slash at the Sentray again. The Sentray swung around fast, smacking August hard with his tail. August flew through the air, smashing through a shop window on the opposite side of the street. August broke several bones on impact. He was in incredible pain. He quickly became invisible and staggered into a storeroom of the shop.
The Sentray walked over to the shop. He poked his head into the shop. After a few seconds, he turned and ran off down the street as he became invisible again.
Sapien Loop: Worlds Collide
Sapien Loop: Worlds Collide is the final book in the Sapien Loop trilogy. It continues directly after the events of the second book. The world above and the world below merge into one world. The conflicts in the underground world are brought to the surface. The new ruling elite attempt to crush any resistance from above and below in an attempt to create a new global empire.
Currently, three books from the series have been published on Amazon; see the links below:
All individual chapters can be found on my @captainhive account.
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