Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Hearing

“This hearing is about the potential rights of the former humans, currently known as “changed”. Martial law is about to be lifted, but we still don’t have laws or definitions that fit the changes made to the changed since the shift. Per our current laws, they do not encompass these new races, thus it is imperative that we solve this issue before martial law is lifted. We have invited different people from different sections here today. We have Judge Lambert of the Supreme Court, Madam Speaker; Erica Hill, Mystica Parallax of the HDA, and newly appointed Chief of the Department of Former Humans, Elin Glass. Also invited are advisors to the aforementioned people, as well as the associated press”

There are about thirty people in this room. The only changed are me, Faith and Ingrid. Both of them are in their disguises, only I’m not wearing one, because it’s quite frankly useless as this entire form is a disguise, and my aura leaks out no matter what I wear.

“Now then, Judge Lambert, would you please introduce the judicial problems we are currently facing.”

“Thank you. Currently there are two major legal issues, and a plethora of minor ones. The first issue being that per our definition of the laws, these “Changed”, has no legal rights, nor do the laws apply to them, under normal circumstances that is. This means that theoretically there are no crimes these changed can commit, nor are they legally citizens of this proud nation. The second issue, one that we are unfortunately facing on a daily basis, is in regard to the powers manifested within the changed. These are not firearms, knives, or other conventional weapons, but they are weapons nonetheless. They are very much lethal, and some can be considered on varying levels of explosives. These so called weapons are ingrained into their very bodies, essentially making it impossible to disarm them. We are essentially at a crossroad, creating history and traveling uncharted territory.”

I note down that from what I’ve heard so far, none of these people have any clue what’s going on. They are focusing on what I would consider minor issues, trying to contain what are essentially citizens of the nation. It’s ridiculous.

“Thank you Judge Lambert, now, Madam Speaker. The senate has been working on amending the laws as to encompass the plethora of new sentient races and species. What are the plans going forward?”

“Our current focus has been on all the havoc that has been caused since the shift. We have, as you said, been working on amending the laws to encompass the changed, but there have been some problems as a lot of the members of congress changed themselves during the shift, so progress has been slow. We should be in the final stretch, and we have newly opened a new department, which our dear Elin Glass is in charge of. Thanks to this addition we have had a directed focus and made good progress, and the amended laws should be up for a vote at the end of this week. We have been cooperating a lot with the military during this period of martial law, ensuring the safety of the citizens and making sure the monsters threatening the safety of our citizens are taken off the street and to secure facilities.”

“Thank you for your insight Madam Speaker, I am glad to hear that peace will soon resume. The citizens of this nation have been too scared for too long. Now then, Ms. Glass, do you have anything to add to the two previous statements?”

“I would like to add that one of my goals, and my self proclaimed mandate is to help ensure the safety of the changed. They have lived their entire lives as regular human beings, and I can imagine being thrust into an unfamiliar territory, with no knowledge or control over your own bodily functions can be terrifying. I will work with the courts to ensure that justice is done correctly once the courts resume their operation. That the innocent people who have harmed others due to a lack of control, and others that have only committed minor involuntary offences will not be prosecuted. Of course I believe that everyone, changed or not, who has knowingly committed crimes, or done harm to others should be prosecuted under the full extent of the law.”

Seriously? Nobody has done anything for the changed? I’d imagine that the fastest way to resume normalcy would be to reach out and offer guidance, instead of shunning them away, treating the changed like dangerous “monsters” as the senator so eloquently said.

“Very well. Now then Mystica, if you would.”

“Thank you. As you may know, I am the founder of the Heroes Defence Association. During this time of change and unrest, a few people who under the current law would be considered vigilantes, has taken it upon themselves to help the national guard and local law enforcement in keeping the citizens safe. As the term goes, “fighting fire with fire”. Our current focus has been on helping these brave people get in contact with law enforcement, being an asset to their teams. We have also started registering and classifying levels of power in the changed, based on different qualities, as well as offering counseling to anyone who needs it.”

“Forgive me for intruding Ms. Parallax, but how do you justify putting the safety of our good citizens in the hands of untrained, civilian walking weapons?”

“Well, I would imagine the massive death toll, currently around 100.000 just here in New York would justify it? The law enforcement was very unequipped, and lacking in understand in how to deal with the changed, both in calming down the ones who mean no harm, and how to neutralize the ones who were causing harm of their own free will. By putting changed in teams with trained officers, they are exchanging information and tactics. The changed give them information and practical knowledge of different types of powers the officers may face, while the officers work in tandem with the changed, giving them the guidance and training they need to operate in the field.”

“I’m sorry but you have no mandate or jurisdiction to make such decisions, not to talk about how dangerous it is to weaponize the changed.”

Hah. I’m done. Hypocrites, all of them.

“Excuse me, but isn’t that exactly what Project ORION is about?”

The senator looks at me, impressively keeping a straight face.

“First of all, who are you? Second of all, that is classified information and I will have you detained if you threaten national security any more than you already have.”

National security, funny choice of words.

“My name is Ethenia B. Polemos. For all intents and purposes, I’m a strategic advisor to the HDA. I’m not here today as a part of the HDA though, I’m here representing myself, and the future of this planet. Now, you mentioned you will have me detained if I mentioned anything more about Project ORION? Funnily enough, didn’t you just mention that the laws do not apply to the changed? Because I am one.”

“You? You look human to me.”

“Yes, I look human, but make no mistake, I am changed. I can give you a demonstration at a later date if you harbor any doubts. Now then. Back to Project ORION. Press you may want to record this instead of taking notes. You mentioned how dangerous it is to weaponize the changed? That is exactly what the government is currently doing. You see, Project ORION is about enslaving the “dangerous monsters” that have been detained due to their “security risk to the public”. Placing them in what is essentially slave collars, magetech. These collars work by having subordinate collars linked to a master collar. The master collar can issue simple commands, for example. “Obey my orders or die”, or something along those lines. There have already been fatalities due to the misuse of a master collar, causing pain and death towards the changed. Now, some of them can be “justified”, but for the most part the fatalities have been simply due to discrimination, dislike for the changed, or sadistic pleasure. The government is also keeping some of these changed in undisclosed facilities around the country, experimenting on them in ways that I would imagine all courts, all citizens, would fine inhumane, akin to torture.”

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“Security, detain this crazy woman at once. Press, don’t you dare write any of this down. This is classified information and it is presented entirely out of context.”

“No, it is not. The context only provides the full extent of the atrocities committed under martial law towards former civilian humans, citizens of this nation. I would also advice against threatening me.”

“That’s it. Shoot her.”

The two Secret Service agents draw their guns and fire at me, as I simply grab the bullets out of the air, they are moving so incredibly slow.

“Now then, let me give you a practical example of self defense.”

I manifest my spear and hurl it at top speed towards “Madam Speaker”. Spear opening a hole in her chest as she dies instantaneously.

“Now, you may be wondering why I just killed the speaker of the house? It is quite simple actually. These men are but guns, tools. A tool can be used for the objective bad or good, but it is the one controlling and using the tool that decides how it is used. She issued a command to kill me because she felt a lack of power, of authority. Her power was threatened, so she wanted to eliminate me. I think the current law would consider my actions akin to self defense, no? Anyways, it doesn’t matter. We are, fundamentally, a society still ruled by the laws of the jungle. We may not have the same concept of strength as they did in the past. Our world is no longer ruled by the physically endowed, but by a different kind of strength. Money, authority, connections. We live on the same planet as we did before the shift, but things have changed. Humanity as it was, is no longer in control. There are new players on this grand playing field, humans are no longer the apex predator. You would do well to remember that.”

I glare at the two remaining government leaders, and cast a glance at the accompanying personnel, before turning back towards the press and the cameras.

“Now then. While I have your attention, I’d like to address a few things I’ve noticed in this so-called hearing. There have been a lot of political linguo, so let me simplify some of it for the average citizen. Notice how there are only three changed in this entire room? All of them from the HDA? Not even the “Chief of the Department of Former Humans” is a changed. All three of us are external attendees from the HDA, well, at least Devotion and Mystica are, I’m more of a wild card. The government has been focusing on how to gain more power after the shift, weaponizing the changed. Discriminating, segregating. They are using terms like “dangerous monsters”, to describe former human beings. Some of the changed are indeed very dangerous, I myself have the power to disintegrate this room in a matter of seconds, but don’t worry, I won’t, that would defeat the entire purpose of me being here. Now, to address a different matter. Does the fact that the members of congress changed into a different race affect their ability to do their jobs? That they were elected to do, by you the citizens? I say nay. I understand that the law does not apply to them, as previously said, the foundation of our current laws are based on a definition of human, vast and varied, but human nonetheless. I fail to see how excluding these members of congress would make haste in the process the government has promised. I would imagined that these changed would be an invaluable source of information, a different perspective. From my point of view the congress is scared of losing control, authority power. Normally I would understand that, and agree that a certain degree of control is necessary for the greater good, but this is not the case. From what I’ve seen and heard here today, and since the shift, it seems congress is scared of losing power for powers sake, not the safety of all the citizens, current and “former humans. Any questions?”

All of the reporters raise their hands, and I select one at random.

“Excuse me Miss Polemos, while I appreciate you giving the citizens clarity on what the government has focused on. What exactly is your goal, your objective?”

“Now that is a good question. You may call me a nuclear deterrent if you want. The world is about to rapidly change. We have only seen the prelude, a character creation to use different terms. Moving forward there are going to be massive battles, some with powers, some in the shadows, but battles nonetheless. I simply want to live my life, enjoy time with friends and loved ones, so my goal is to either usher the world into a stable future, or try to keep some resemblance of the status quo. Any others? Yes, you.”

“This one may be more towards Mystica, but you mentioned you were a strategic advisor for the HDA, what are your plans for the organization?”

I look towards Mystica, and she gives me a nod. Awesome, free reign.

“I’m glad you asked. The HDA will in broad terms move forwards as we have. Train the first generation of “Heroes”, who will help combat rampant changed, ensuring the safety of the regular citizens. We will also be working with the government, hopefully at least, to classify different degrees of power levels, and create a secure register that will be used in a way to keep everyone safe. It is not for the intents of monitoring citizens, or invasion of privacy, think of it in the same way the people of this country apply to gun permits. We just want to make sure that the people who are, well, quite frankly walking nuclear bombs, know how to use, or not to use their powers in a controlled manner. I personally want to help ensure that the rights for the changed are fair and non-discriminatory. Currently we are seeing discrimination in the same manner that the different ethnicities were subjected to right after the civil war. To ensure these goals, we have to think broad. Therefor we will work on expanding the HDA to encompass the entire globe, having offices and trained personnel in most cities across the world, but for that we will need help. So I call upon you, the citizens of this country, and a person living on this world. If you want to help, want to make a change, send in an application to the HDA. It doesn’t matter what experience you may or may not have, human or changed, it doesn’t matter. If you want to contribute, we will give you the training you need to do the job you want.”

“One last question Miss Polemos, you said you were a changed, what kind of changed are you? As the late Madam Speaker mentioned, you look quite human?”

Athena, ready?

“Ready when you are Ethenia.”

“Now this is the part where everyone should pay extra attention. I can be called many different things, but for all intents and purposes, I think this description would fit me best. "

I channel the full force of Athena's divinity into my body. We can't keep it up for long, but for the next five minutes, I am Athena, Athena is me, we are one. 

"I am a Goddess. I come with a warning to those of you who are lurking in the shadows. If you want no part of this grand game of chess, that is fine, but for those of you who seek chaos, domination, or a path of enslavement. I will find you, and I will eliminate you.”

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