Alyx let out a sigh before the cameras started rolling. This episode of hers was going to be a rough one. She looked over her notes again, tempering the rage building inside her.
She was belligerent. She was constantly calling out what she considered to be everyone else's bullshit. She did her best to make fun of everyone equally. It all served as entertainment for part of the population.
But this...
This was big. Too big. And she hated that she seemed to be the first media personality to pick it up.
The cameras started rolling and Alyx looked into the lens, barely needing to read the teleprompter.
"Hello everyone! Alyx Turner here, back for another hour of commentary on all the nonsense that goes on in the sky. And let me tell you, we have a big bit of nonsense to deal with today.
"But before that, I have a very important announcement to make. One that may very well change this city forever. A headline you never thought you'd see."
As she spoke, a picture displayed on the screen behind her.
"My nephew, who recently turned three, has successfully washed himself with potato paste."
She kept a straight face as the picture of a toddler covered from head to toe in a white mush faded from the screen. Her live audience laughed at the absurdity. Alyx allowed herself a smile before launching back into her spiel.
"Kids. Seriously. If you ever need to smile, just look up the various videos people post of their kids. I'll play the full video later, but for now we have some really serious stuff to get to."
Her expression flattened, an indifferent mask taking over her usual self.
"I noticed this on the web a few days ago, and we've been frantically looking through it ever since to confirm all the sources and facts. Frankly, I can't believe no one else has picked this up. You thought the Legion would change the world. This might be just as earth-shattering.
"Now, you all know how I feel about the Legion. Not fond of them. It all feels like a big farce. Unfortunately the deeper I dig into this, the harder it is to write it off as a farce. Superpowers seem too weird to actually be happening, but truth is stranger than fiction. I won't stop calling them out for all the idiot moves they do, like that hostage incident last Friday, but I'm not entirely sure it's all a hoax either.
"Anyway, we're not talking about the Legion today. We're talking about Olivia Hahn, better known as Phantasma. You all remember her, right? Sworn enemy of Achilles, caused a bunch of commotion, got arrested, died in prison about a month ago?
"So new information has come out regarding that. Not from the military. They haven't said a word since the week it happened. No, this comes from the general populace on the web. Shortly after her death, the files regarding Phantasma's autopsy were stolen from the military and published online. Great. Whatever. Upon a close look, it seems that everything was just as the military said.
"But various doctors have looked over it in their spare time since, and they say it's fishy. Like really fishy.
"I don't understand all the numbers and whatnot that they cite, but apparently when read by a professional, the report just seems...wrong. It's too clean, or too something. It indicates that even in the autopsy files, the military was covering something up. What that something is I don't know. We reached out to General Jordan of the military for answers, got a reply from General Evans that basically boiled down to 'I don't know anything' and that's where that's at. We're waiting on Jordan's reply, but I feel like it isn't gonna come.
"So the question is what is the military hiding? We have no definitive proof, but circumstantial evidence seems to indicate one of three things.
"One: The military decided to stealthily reinstate the death penalty for Olivia Hahn and killed her in her cell, then covered it up.
"Two: The military accidentally did something to kill her and is covering it up.
"Three: Someone else snuck into the military to enact vigilante justice.
"I'm being generous here. The military prison is the most secure facility in the city. Sure, someone breaking in would be embarrassing, but there's no way there wouldn't have been a huge kerfuffle about it. We would have some indication of it, whether it be from increased military activity in the area or someone posting about it or whatever.
"Basically, I consider option three to be very unlikely. What seems more likely is that the military is responsible for Phantasma's death. Whether directly or indirectly, I can't say. You can look at the evidence yourself; everything we've found with regard to this is publicly posted on our site. What I see happening, however, is dangerous.
"If the military can just suddenly decide that some people's crimes are worthy of death without even a trial, what does that mean for the rest of us? If Phantasma, why not the rest of us? Sure, she attempted murder, but she was mostly a petty thief. That was what she was originally jailed for, before she started being able to mess with people's heads.
"So what happens if a case happens like the one in 2492? Someone's arrested for serial murders, sent to trial and convicted. Then further investigation reveals them to be innocent. What if that person is killed in jail before the trial? And then found to be innocent? Then we've got a huge problem. If the wrongfully convicted person is alive, reparations can be made. Nothing of the sort can happen if you're dead.
"I really didn't want this to be true, honestly. It has terrifying implications for the rest of the city. Even if we say it's only happening to criminals with Miracles, where is the line? Maybe someone gets a Miracle in prison, a harmless one. You know, like that guy at the hospital that keeps popping up in social media. A Miracle that heals.
"What happens if someone like that ends up in prison, whether rightfully or wrongfully? Do they just die because they have a Miracle? And if we're killing people whose Miracles had little to do with their crime, who's to say we don't kill just any criminal?
"See, the farther you go down this road, the more complicated it's going to get. So I implore the military. I implore General Jordan. Stop this now. Stop before we cross a line we can't uncross.
"I know I come across as this unflappable jerk who poos on everyone's parade, but I'm scared. I am genuinely scared, reading about this and wondering how far this is going to go. If you want to reinstate the death penalty, do it through the proper channels. Don't just decide who gets to live and who gets to die. We have enough population issues as is.
"Anyway, that's all on that. Sorry that today was a lot more serious than usual, but someone had to talk about this. And if no one else will, I guess that task falls to me. Consider it my responsibility as a media personality, whether you like me or not.
"And now we'll spend the rest of the show going through a collection of the best cute kid videos we could find. Most of you are here to laugh, so here's something to laugh at. Thank you for your time today. I mean it."
Clips from that show went viral, spreading across the city until there was scarcely a single person who hadn't heard about it. Fear of the military spread. Protests were organized. New derogatory posts were made and shared, all targeting the military.
And on August 2, 2618, General Kyrie Jordan announced his resignation. He would step down from his position by August 31. In the meantime, Generals Jenkins and Evans would nominate candidates that the city council and public would vote on. The Second Division's next general would be chosen by the people, for the people.
Kyrie vanished from the spotlight, never to enter the public eye again.
Dr. Luna, meanwhile, continued his work quietly, grieving for his friend. He chose to retire in 2620.
