The Ashkuban's Fury

[Ayzek]

Though no one in power noticed what exactly was thrown at the time, everyone heard the explosion and saw the smoke rising over the walls. Of course, no one expected a fragmentation grenade and the police instead imagined a Molotov cocktail. Nonetheless, the reaction was swift. Though police commanders on the ground feared a media backlash from bloody scuffles with a protesting minority, they entire force feared upset politicians even more. The State of Pythos was an unexpected friend of the absolute monarchy, after all. Along with Nyland, and, to a lesser extent Drahen, Pythos was a chief benefactor of Cynesse's fledgling economy.

Though the protest had taken the government by surprise, the reactionary regime was nonetheless always prepared for a protest or dozens. This late in the afternoon, several hours into the protest against Pythian "exploitation" of Cynesse, the state's well-developed arsenal Nylander-funded and Pythian-provided of anti-protest equipment was poised to intervene at a single word. And it came moments after what had just happened fully sunk in.

Police drones overhead jammed communication devices as officers guarding the media relayed a fresh gag order and forced reporters to shut off their devices. A moment later, what seemed like the entire city's police force struck. Sonic weapons, mounted on trucks stationed behind the police lines, suddenly came alive and brought with them an ear-piercing whine, forcing the protestors back. When the distance grew, the police fired tear gas into the crowd. The riot police, armed with batons and riot shields, advanced shortly afterwards, knocking staggering protestors onto the ground for less-equipped officers to arrest. Their own ears were protected by their noise-isolating, radio-equipped helmets.

Though the police left a small path out of the area open for the crowd to disperse, Cynesse was a state that made examples out of protestors and aimed to make as many arrests as possible. It was not a short run from the Pythian embassy to the way out. With locals having joined the anti-Pythian protest—and having started their own elsewhere in the city and the the kingdom—not all penal brigadiers would manage to make it away, though perhaps that was for the best.