Season 04 - Episode 26

‘stone from behind’

The four EnFo's are nearing the end of their patrol. They march down the corridor in perfectly synchronised pairs, robotic without but keenly human within. The park at the end of the corridor is the final stop on their patrol. After this they can return to barracks and take some downtime before their next shift.

They enter the broad open space and find it completely deserted. Going through the motions, they move to the middle and survey the empty space. No-one uses the parks for leisure anymore and trying to live there is strictly forbidden.

Had they found any attempted encampments, the EnFo's could have had some fun smashing them up. As it is however, there's nothing to see and nothing to do. They turn as one to leave but then pause, feeling before hearing the approaching sound.

Footsteps.

Many, many footsteps, heavy and synchronised. The sound seems to be coming from all directions at once and so the EnFo's form up, back diagonally to back, each pointing to a different corner, weapons raised and ready.

The sound grows louder and louder until it seems impossible that its source cannot be seen. Then, just as the EnFo's begin to falter in confusion, flashes of white appear. In every entrance into the park at once, marching four abreast in seemingly endless columns. Armed, armoured men, troop into the park, filling it up, surrounding them.

Their armour is the same as the EnFo's, same shape and configuration. Instead of their uniform black however, this armour is white, painfully bright, shining white with intricate golden trim. The EnFo's turn their guns from one white clad soldier to another, only to see hundreds of identical rifles aimed straight back at them.

“Sarge,” one of the EnFo's crackles. “What do we do?”

“Hold!” one of the other EnFo's crackles back. “Hold your position!”

Silence returns to the park and stretches out in agony. Nothing happens and all the EnFo's can hear are their own hearts thundering in their ears. Then motion, movement, somewhere towards the back of the park. They can't see what's happening but the great crowd of soldiers is parting robotically, moving aside in perfect fluidity.

Finally, the soldiers immediately before them move aside to reveal eight huge men carrying an enormous, golden carriage. With reverence and ritual, they lower their load to the ground and then kneel, heads bowed and perfectly still as if turned to obedient stone. From behind the carriage, a skinny man in grey robes and a pained expression hurries into view. He positions himself just before and beside the carriage and takes a deep breath.

“Let all here know and be fully aware,” he bellows, projecting his voice to the ceiling high above. “That as of this moment, they have the unique and undeserved privilege of existing in the presence of the Conqueror of The Innersides, Boiler of The Eight, Absolute and Undisputed Ruler of all Domains and Realms of Men. Infinite in her wisdom and endless in her grace, I who am not worthy, humbly present The Supreme God Empress Pho!”

The curtains of the carriage slip apart to reveal Pho, resplendent in great flowing robes of perfect white and gleaming gold. Her new, fluted hat, widening at the top, is several feet tall and decorated to match her robes.

Her hands are joined before her, somewhere deep within cavernous sleeves. Her face is calm and perfectly serene. She lowers her eyes but not her head, peering down her nose at the four EnFo's clustered before her.

Several silent seconds pass. Then, Pho gives the slightest, most subtle of nods. A dozen machine guns all bark at once, impossibly loud and vicious but only for a second. When they stop, three of the EnFo's fall to the ground and then into pieces, their bodies shredded. The remaining EnFo looks down at his colleagues and then up at Pho. Slowly, trembling, he lowers himself to his knees and places his rifle on the ground.

“You will return to your masters,” says the man in grey as Pho watches on. “And you will inform them that their bodies, their lives, their property and lands are all hereby declared the property of The Supreme God Empress Pho. Any attempt at resistance will be met with total extermination. There is no escape from the Holy Empire of The Church.”

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