While he was at Izzio’s, Edge had received a message from his Guide, along with everyone else in town.
The Mayor had used her authority to let everybody know that a settlement-wide meeting was taking place tonight. It wasn’t mandatory, but she said it was important, and had urged everyone who was available to show up.
Edge debated whether he wanted to go. In the end, he decided that it was worth giving up an hour or two of conditioning to find out what was going on. Besides, it was a good opportunity to strengthen his relationships and improve his standing with the community.
The meeting was being held on the public green. The only place in Puppet Town that could host its entire population. He made his way over and arrived a few minutes before sunset. He wanted to get there early to network and see if he could pick up any interesting rumors or leads.
He could hear the murmur of the masses well before they came into view. The roar of thousands of excited voices talking at the same time. People were streaming down the streets, all headed in the same direction. It was the first time that Edge had felt crowded that he could remember.
He rounded a final corner, and the green came into view, revealing a sea of bodies spread out along the grass.
He hadn’t seen so many people in the same place since arriving on Ord. It seemed that almost everyone in the settlement had come to see what information would be revealed, the cored and uncored alike. He cast his gaze across the gathering, taking in worried faces and people comforting one another.
There was a huge bonfire blazing in the middle of the green, behind which a raised platform had been erected. The fire threw shifting patches of light and shadow across the crowd. That must be where Dialla is planning to give her address.
He saw Ann speaking with Trapper and her crew, with Lilly standing awkwardly to one side. When she saw Edge looking, Lilly turned to him and winked before burying her nose in a book that she had brought with her. She was pretending to read by firelight, although he was sure that she had enough Perception to see in the dark.
Earl and Mel were standing near the fire along with the rest of his deputies, except for the pair that were guarding the gates. Edge even saw the girl who had given him the apple. Although as usual, when he went to say hello, she was gone by the time he got there. The only person he didn’t spot was Warren, although he had a hunch that the manslayer was somewhere within earshot, lurking in one shadow or another.
After taking a lap around the track, trying to get a better sense of the mood, he walked over to stand beside Trapper, curious to find out what was about to happen.
Not long after, the mayor stepped up to a microphone mounted to a podium. A simple magtech device that amplified her voice. “Hello everybody. Thanks for coming. I think that everyone is here who is planning to show up. I’ll get started now so that I don’t waste any of your time. If you know anyone who couldn’t make it tonight, please relay this information to them when you get a chance.”
The crowd simmered down as people focused on Dialla’s words. “I’m sure that the topic of our first official town meeting will come as a surprise to no one. We’re here to discuss the disaster that has befallen Ord, and what our lives will look like moving forward. First and foremost, we’re all here for the long haul. Our old bodies are dead and buried in the ground. These puppets are who we will be for the rest of our days.”
Worried whispers broke out at this point, although no one voiced a complaint. It was something they all knew to be true, no matter how hard it was to accept.
“I know, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. But we must look these hard truths square in the eye if we want to survive the changes that are occurring to our world alongside our bodies. As far as I can tell, the Prison World broadcasts have ceased. The feed has been completely cut off, along with all shipments to and from the planet. Hell, we haven’t even been able to get in touch with the closest settlements, and all trade has ground to a halt.
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“In short, we’re stranded down here, and we will be on our own for the foreseeable future. Our old way of life, centered around puppet tourism, no longer makes sense. We aren’t tourists piloting puppets any longer. We are castaways who must become settlers and survivors. Rugged individuals trying to carve out a place for ourselves on a magical planet that has become new home, and all the dangers that come with it.
“Some major changes are coming to Puppet Town, and I’m here to discuss them with you now. To start, no one will be denied a meal or a place to rest just because they don’t have enough Credits to afford them. Our lives are now limited, valuable resources. We can’t have people dying because they don’t have a job or ran into a spell of bad luck.”
At this point, Edge could hear relieved murmurs from the crowd, as the town’s poorest members learned that they wouldn’t starve or be forced outside the walls.
“That being said, we can’t afford to have our residents preying upon each other. We’re all in this together, and we won’t survive unless we can work as a team. From this moment on, theft and assault will result in banishment from town.”
Dialla’s tone shifted from welcoming to harder than steel. “Make no mistake. Murder and the like will see you swinging from the gallows. Earl and his deputies have been authorized to play the roles of judge, jury, and executioner. If you have a problem with that, or how he goes about his business, come see me and we will talk it out.
“Moving on, our supply, trade, and communication lines have all been disrupted. It could be weeks, months, or even years before we rebuild them, meaning that we need to be self-sufficient going forward. The economy will be shifting by the day as a result. For some of you, this won’t make much difference in your day-to-day activities. For others, your old occupations will change radically, or may no longer exist at all.”
Edge ran his eyes across the assembled masses, curious how they were taking the news. He saw fear and denial, but excitement too. Some people even seemed to relish the challenge ahead. Kindred spirits to himself.
“Monsters and mid-stage beasts are beginning to appear along the Ivory Plains. Some have already been sighted near town. I’d like to tell you that this is as bad as it’s going to get, but it’s not. Not by a long shot. Our lives are going to grow more dangerous by the hour, and we need to be ready to face the coming storm before it breaks over our head.
“I recommend that you find someone to train you in a trade if you don’t have one already, or you’re going to be sleeping on the ground and eating bread. It’s the best we can do for people who aren’t pitching in.
“If you have fighting experience, consider joining up with the sheriff or one of the beast hunting crews. Maybe even the monster hunters if you savor the thrill of danger. There are also openings with the resource hunters, if you’re willing to head beyond the walls, but aren’t itching for a scrap.”
Conversations broke out at this point, but the mayor spoke above them. “Even if you’re not up for those tasks, you need to learn how to defend yourselves before it’s too late. A day might come sooner than you think when the barrier, wall, and turrets won’t be enough to keep us safe.”
The mutters rose on hearing those words, as people contemplated a future where they might have to fight with their lives on the line.
“That brings me to the final item on tonight’s agenda. We’re going to send out survey teams soon. We need to learn more about the changes occurring within the Ivory Plains and adjacent biomes, and reestablish contact with our neighbors. Parts of the System are down, including intra-settlement communication. But the core aspects seem to be working, minus a few odd glitches.
“That means you will still be able to activate skill gems, rank-up skills, and cycle-up your cores if you have one. With any luck, we will know more soon. I’ll hold another meeting as soon as we learn anything concrete. Before we wrap things up, does anyone have any questions?” After answering a few inquiries from the audience, Dialla bid everyone good night.
Most of the crowd dispersed and began heading home, although there were plenty of people who stayed, continuing their conversations in light of what had been revealed.
Edge mingled for a while, making sure to say hello to everyone who he was trying to build a relationship with. Then he went back to his room to eat dinner and get in some strength training before he called it a night.
Two hours and several thousand push-ups later, it happened.
By conditioning your body, your Power has increased by 1.
Edge collapsed, grinning while he waited for regeneration to heal the damage. Then he took a hot shower and passed the fuck out.