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This fanfiction article, Stories from the Sigmaverse/Coup, was written by Brodie-001. Please do not edit this fiction without the writer's permission. |
Colonel Oswald Schumer exhaled slowly, and opened his eyes to find himself staring at his own reflection. Dressed in olive combat fatigues beneath the green ballistic armour of the Schönheit Colonial Guard, he looked almost identical to the four others standing around him beneath the fluorescent bathroom lights, save for his helmet, which lay by the sink. Schumer wiped a few droplets of water from his freshly-splashed face and snatched up the helmet as he turned to face his eager subordinates. "Let's go." The five guardsmen exited the bathroom and strode out in single file into the west wing of New Hamburg's parliament building, edging past the large sign indicating that the room was out of order. All carried MA37 rifles, held close to their chests and angled towards the ground. Leading the way through the quiet corridor, towards the growing noise that usually filled the busy offices of clerks and officials that kept the colony running, Schumer slowed his pace and beckoned to the woman behind him. She detached herself from the line at once and moved to his side. "Sir?" Major Wagner asked, her voice low. "Any news from Frank?" Schumer asked. "He made the drop-off ten minutes ago. His platoon are heading to the spaceport now." "Excellent." Schumer nodded, slightly relieved. "And the police?" "Most are massing by the plaza outside. As soon as the governor heard about today's protest she tripled their numbers. The commissioner's held back as much as he could until we're finished." "Good man." Today would be one of unforgettable change for the colony world of Schönheit. Beautiful and popular though the world was with tourists, with its position on the very edge of the Inner Colonies bringing prosperity to its citizens for more than fifty years, it was now a world on the brink of ruin. Corporate greed and poor decision making on the current governor's part had led to food shortages unheard of in the colony's history, leading to widespread rationing among the citizenry while export rates had remained the same. Governor Kayla Burns had made excuse after excuse, citing turmoil and dangerous famines on other colonies as the reason while assuring the populace that such shortages were temporary, but that had been close to a year ago. Schönheit's citizens had endured months of rationing, well aware that their planet had an abundance of food being grown on its agricultural sectors, and eventually things had boiled over. It began with protests and the odd case of civil disobedience but before long transport trucks were being derailed and their contents stolen by angry crowds and full-scale riots had broken out in New Hamburg. With the police overwhelmed, the Schönheit Colonial Guard had been called in to keep the peace. Schumer's men had done their best, but before long orders had come down from parliament to use lethal force against looters. That had been the tipping point. He had to act. "Sergeant Grice," Schumer spoke into his headset as he rounded a corner, his squad marching by a pair of slightly startled office workers. "What's the situation?" The gruff voice of one of Schumer's NCO's responded after a few seconds through his earpiece. "The chamber's secure, sir. Burns and her cabinet are inside until voting finishes." "Copy that, be there in five." Schumer's squad moved into the building's main rotunda, a lavishly-built structure with a high domed ceiling and white-tiled floor. At its centre lay a great mosaic depicting the first colony ship to land on Schönheit decades ago, the CMA Brandenburg. Schumer had crossed this floor many times since it and the building around it was constructed more than a decade ago, shortly after the governor's ascension to power, but only now did he start to see the ugly side of this beautiful building. Serious money had gone into this place, with its faux marble pillars lining the walls and finely carved staircases winding up to the lower levels. Money we shouldn't have had, Schumer reflected. Schönheit was not an old colony, its population nowhere near those of worlds who already boasted megalopolises of millions. Deals had been made that benefited a select few, and the people were only now feeling their full impact. It was only as the squad exited the rotunda, approaching the boxy original building that the planet's settlers had established their parliamentary and council chambers, that Oswald caught sight of his fellow guardsmen. They stood at attention by doors, sometimes in twos and threes, and nodded quietly towards their commanding officer as he passed by. The local employees mostly ignored them, well aware that after the violent riots just four days ago the governor had likely ordered their presence. This was true, of course, but the exact means of their deployment had been left up to Schumer. Right now, they were exactly where he needed them to be. "Sir," Wagner whispered as they passed through a set of double doors and into a long, thickly-carpeted corridor. "When we get in there, who do you want to..." She trailed off, as if afraid to complete the sentence. Schumer's jaw twitched, his mouth set in a thin line as he stared at the next set of doors ahead of them, flanked by two more of his men. "I'll do it," he said at last. "Someone's got to do what needs to be done for the planet." Wagner nodded grimly. "I suppose so." Schumer continued. "Schmidt's already leading the march outside. As soon as we give the signal, they'll let his men through the cordon. No more bloodshed than is absolutely necessary. The FSM takes power, then we start telling the UEG what we do with our exports, not the other way around." "Too right!" one of Schumer's squad cheered behind them, only to be shut up with jab to the ribs from his teammate. "Quiet!" the other man hissed. "Do you want them to hear you?" Schumer glanced up at a nearby security camera and smiled, knowing full well that it wasn't online. This day had been coming a long time, with resentment for Burns and her government spreading wider and faster than anyone could have believed. Like-minded compatriots hadn't been hard to find even within the SCG and police forces and soon enough Schumer had separated those loyal to the governor and those who would fight for Schönheit if push came to shove. Those in the SCG who weren't up to it had been sent on an impromptu survival training mission in the planet's remote northern hemisphere, allegedly so they could learn how to fight insurgents in a non-urban environment. What he hadn't told them was that the Albatross transports that had dropped them off would not be returning, and that the objective markers and equipment drops out there simply did not exist. By the time any of them made it back to civilisation, their planet would have a new government, let by the Free Schönheit Movement and its leader, one Antonio Schmidt. Schumer's squad came to a halt outside the thick metal doors leading into the parliamentary council chamber. Sergeant Grice, a middle-aged man who had been an NCO in the SCG even when Schumer was starting out, met him with a crisp salute. "The governor's still inside, sir." Grice jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the doors. "We managed to catch some of what she was planning as they were going in." "Go on," Schumer nodded. "It didn't sound good." Grice grimaced. "She's panicking about today's protests. After some people got shot in the last one she knows it's bad for her publicity. I didn't get too much more but she was talking to Minister Wegner about the UNSC." Schumer's blood ran cold. "You're certain?" "Yessir." If Burns wanted to bring in the UNSC, it meant that she was already fearing a coup. The Colonial Military Authority would usually respond first, sending peacekeeping forces meant to secure the planet until a diplomatic solution could be reached, but the United Nations Space Command were another story. Their presence would mean a full-scale invasion, with all the destruction and chaos that implied. Schumer's stony features twisted into a nasty scowl. On top of everything else, she hadn't consulted him as head of the SCG, which implied she didn't care for his opinion, or didn't trust him. Too late for her now. "Get that door open," Schumer ordered, thumbing the safety off his rifle. The four other members of his squad did the same, shouldering their rifles as Grice put in his override code on the door panel. With a loud hiss, the doors to the Schönheit council chambers slid open. Schumer marched in to find Governor Burns standing in the middle of the room, a briefcase in one hand and a datapad in the other. Three other council members in charge of trade, defence and diplomacy stood by her, along with her bodyguard, Munroe. They were evidently about to leave, and turned in unison to see five armed figures entering the chamber. "Get down!" Schumer barked, taking the lead. Two of the ministers did, while Burns and the other stood in stunned silence. Munroe went for his handgun in a flash of movement, much to Schumer's annoyance. He'd spoken to the man before. Hell, he liked the man, but now, even in the face of certain death, he'd simply picked the wrong side of history. As his handgun cleared its holster, five rifles opened up in a cacophony of noise and light. Switched to full-auto, there was nothing that could survive at this distance. Nothing did. They emptied their magazines all the same. "It's done," Wagner breathed, almost in disbelief. Schumer looked at the ruined corpses that lay before them It was the first blood spilled for the revolution, and if all went well, the last before Schönheit's liberation. Instead, six months of hell awaited the planet.
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