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[Reamer walks through The Crown building, Reik following behind. People greet him, but stare at Reik. Reamer’s wearing the director’s pin.]
Reik: You’ve brought me on another one of your humiliation rituals.
ream: I’ve brought you as a bodyguard should anything happen. you said yourself you wanted a ticket to high society.
Reik: As a member, not a lackey.
Ream: stepping stones. Besides, this way you’ll have a front row seat to the biggest event in decades.
reik: [smiles secretly] that I will.
[They enter the greenroom behind the stage for the event. the windows are all open, leading to a platform above a crowd below.. The Director is in a corner, poised but avoiding eye contact.]
R: Mother -
gma from behind him: She is not fit to do more than appear present for the cameras, it will be down to you.
R: Grandmother? Why are you here? What if you’re seen?
gma: I will not be, but we cannot trust that Dove to not attempt some trickery at the last minute, so I refuse to stay away. Now go, do what needs to be done, Grandson. And stick to the script, everything must run smoothly or disaster will surely follow.
[Reamer steps out onto the stage towering above the structure below. Crowds of people stand watching. Raptors sit in stands to either side of the podium, dels parents and tiraa’s mother present. twik’s amongst the Crows on the outskirts of the crowd, nervous. strawberry boy and others in the shadows watching. Lyr and erka are with the roost students, guns at ease. The Altimeter stands to the right of Reamer. Reik watches from the back with the other bodyguards. Doves encircle the stage, hoods up. Hon stands with the bird of paradises, eyes sharp]
Alt: remember what is at stake, boy. Power is just as easily taken away as given. Tell them your lies, and see if they swallow them any longer.
R: [clears throat. Camera zooms in on him, his face appearing on the giant screens] Welcome, all. 50 years ago, an organization of Crows headed a Corvid revolt which led to the rest of the world being destroyed, and drove those who survived to this island. Half a century on, we’re here to celebrate what we have achieved in these years of progress and prosperity, while looking towards the future and the possibilities it has in store for us. Let this 50th Anniversary Event begin.
[Cyras is raised, chained, into the center of the structure in the middle of the square for all to see. His primaries are plucked. Theres a shackle around his neck too.]
gma: [director and reamer hear] ah, i am glad to see they managed to make him presentable despite all the encouragement i signed off on due to his complete uncooperation. It is better for his little followers to think him strong before they see that strength taken from him.
R: It was you who -
[Director stares at Cyras hard].
gma: [hisses] the speech!
r: [clears throat and turns back to paper] …As we commemorate all we have accomplished, we must also remember why it was all so important in the first place. Bygone ideals and ways of life should not be glorified. All they do is hinder progress and misplace loyalties.
[The Resistance are watching from the live feed in abandoned buildings in Sparrow territory. Farrah and sparrows watching.]
F: Cyras confirmed sighting. Continue as planned.
[Del listening on radio, hiding with squad in a building near the base of a defence tower. Lulu watching live feed on phone]
L: There he is. Not looking too good is he.
Nol: We were right to assume he was being tortured it seems.
Del: Not that leadership did anything to stop it.
Major: Not much they could have done. Cepni made the correct call, all things considered.
Nol: We’ll see if that’s true when we find out how the Corvids react to seeing him. Come on, we need to get moving.
Del: Right. They’ve got a few Sallies guarding but nothing we can’t handle. Is everyone ready? Let’s go.
[neekia watching on her phone, sneering at the sight of cyras. a knocked out dove lies at her feet as she crouches.]
N: Those fuckers. They’ll pay for this.
larsmom: well we can get them back by stealing their most prized possession if you’d just help me with this - [she struggles holding a dove in a chokehold]
N: Oh, right yeah sorry, lemme just -
[she pistol whips the dove who falls to the ground. They both look up at the entrance of the dove temple]
N: only way in Deacon says. They started getting smart about the ways we were smuggling the chimeras out so most of the other routes are blocked off. Let’s hope everyone’s watching the spectacle and no one thinks to check their cameras.
LM: My son has taken care of that, [show lars with screens, a flier that dropped from the corvid rally on the desk, a freeze frame of kl leaving reamers car on another screen, the feed from neekia’s bodycam on another] but we still do not have the time to stand around chatting.
N: Right. Let’s go rescue a princess.
[the albatross opens a door on the ship and ushers eurippe through.]
mar: in here, quickly. The event has started, and they’ve said they’re willing to talk.
[eurippe enters, finding a young dove sitting on a bed in a cabin, eyes wide]
dove: you’re a -
eur: Dove. Yes.
Dove: why are you helping the waterlogged?
eur: Because we have been lied to by the Altimeter and I wish to help set things right. That’s why you have agreed to answer our questions, right? Because you have questions yourself.
dove [looks out the window]
eur: I will answer your questions if you answer mine. What have they been creating in those sea temples that required the help of Crows?
dove: [looks at her] …How fast can you fly?
eur: Why does that matter?
dove: Because you’ll need to be fast, to stop them.
reamer: We are nothing, without loyalty. But when that loyalty is given to someone unworthy of it, it is only detrimental to this society. Here is an example of what lies and false promises will get you - and how things will end should you oppose this way of life. This Corvid - once considered a great leader to his kind - led his flock in a revolt against the Government, and must now pay the price for that attack.
[the altimeter clears his throat behind reamer and reamer hesitates. the script says to stand aside and let the altimeter finish the speech. his hand clenches, sweating. he goes to step aside, when the director strides forwards, taking his place.]
dir: And as we condemn him, we condemn us all.
[she presses the button on the pedestal. water starts flowing from a waterfall into the basin cyras is tied to. reamer looks at her, shocked. cyras stares up at reamer. the altimeter smiles.]
alt: And there it is - the truth of it all. Here the highest pass judgment on the lowest, regardless of worthiness bestowed by divine ordainment. 50 years ago, Eagles decided they should rule this island, and for 50 years they have perched at the top and lied. The world was not destroyed. They have kept you here to rule over you and keep you subservient, when the only servility you should show is to Icarus and Daedalus, and those who speak for them. Without their teachings, we have chaos. Without their laws, we have rebellion. And without their retribution, we burn.
still workshopping this a bit - we're in the home stretch now eek