Chapter 2, "The Radio Address"

The Queen was flanked by her royal advisor, Dr. Xavier Addison and by the Provost Marshall Collins. Her personal bodyguards followed them closely, but not too closely so as to not interfere with any personal conversations. However, each spoke in hushed tones as they walked through the marble lined halls of the House of Lords. The Queen's heels echoed loudly and her steps emphasized the austerity of the building. The group was headed towards the Great Hall where the lords assembled to conduct business.

"May I say so again your majesty that while this remains a grave situation, this is indeed a momentous occasion for the Outer Zone," said Dr. Addison. His chest puffed out a little more than usual.

The Queen quickly looked his way and then refocused her eyes down the hallway. She nodded in acknowledgment at a small gathering of dignitaries as they stiffly bowed to her. "It is Dr. Addison. I do truly wish I had done it earlier under better circumstances however."

The dignitaries who had bowed to her continued their whispered conversation. Even though she had long passed them by they spoke quickly and quietly, afraid that somehow, some way, she may still be listening.

"Where is her husband?"

"Officially he has taken ill and cannot attend."

"Hogwash. I saw him this morning in one of the private lounges and he seemed perfectly fine to me."

"You would believe that at least her daughters would attend?"

"Perhaps not the eldest, Azkadellia, but certainly the Princess Dorothy. For me, she is the heir apparent and it is high time she take an interest in such matters."

"Do you not think that is odd that the Princess Dorothy has not made an appearance at any public function? She had been so active until…"

"Until the attack. She's probably kept under lock and key now."

The dignitaries did not realize how close to the truth they were.

"To all peoples of the Outer Zone, wherever they may live, whatever race they may be, whichever language they may speak, good evening." The Queen paused to let her words be absorbed through the House of Lords, to those of Central City, and to those in the immediate surrounding countryside. It was a historic occasion. It was the Queen's first live radio broadcast.

"My countrymen, we have emerged from the darkness and are awaking to the dawn; the dawn of a new day, the first of many for the Outer Zone." The Lords and other important dignitaries responded with polite clapping. Those schooled in royal and state etiquette knew that it was the proper thing to do. But the Queen silently noted that none of them stood; not that she expected them to do so.

The prisoners, even those who had been assigned to solitary confinement, had been assembled in to the main dining hall. The warden's own private radio had been set up for the momentous event. He smugly considered it a gift for overall good behavior. He even chided them by stating that if they continued their good behavior, he would bring the radio out again. Wyatt leaned back in to his seat and loosely folded his arms. His fellow companions did not speak to him; that, in and of itself did not bother him. He had nothing to say to them. His thoughts momentarily strayed to DG and then to Jill, wondering once again as to whether they were safe. As much as his heart told him that they were, his gut told him otherwise. The Queen's voice interrupted his thoughts and he strained to hear her through the crackling radio.

"Before the darkness I was always direct and forthright with you. That does not change now…" She paused once again. She left her eyes scan across those who had gathered. She was looking for the tell tale signs of those who would betray her; those who would say one thing in front of her and then say the complete opposite behind her back. She was grateful for Dr. Addison's coaching. He had referred to it as PFD, Physiological Falsehood Dissection. It was another new emerging science. She made a mental note of those who appeared to satisfy the dissection's criteria. She returned to her speech.

"There have been many questions regarding the policy on the use of magic and of magical items. As you know I sponsored this policy… I, whose direct lineage is of the House of Gale, and who once possessed magic, sponsored this policy. The Outer Zone is on the verge of a new dawn where advances in alchemy will burst forth. Advances in alchemy will breathe new life in to the Outer Zone. However, this new growth is not possible if magical properties and abilities are not allowed to be brought under control. We have already seen the effects of this."

She stopped her speech. Murmurings of confusion erupted from the lords and their aides and it steadily grew louder. The entire body seemed to have one cohesive thought. What does the Queen mean by we have already seen the effects of that? The Queen finally raised her hand and the Great Hall grew silent.

Wyatt leaned forward in his seat. He knew; he was absolutely positive that the Queen was referring to the terrorist attack. But how are they tied to magic? It was an explosion caused by a material substance. Was magic the trigger?

"The insurgents who so blatantly attacked Central City and all of its citizens used alchemy combined with magic to carry out their destruction. An explosive material was enriched with Moritanium, thereby greatly increasing its destructive power."

Loud gasps followed by hushed conversations erupted from the assembly once more. Echoes of "Why were we not told this before!" and "Who discovered this evidence?" bounced off of the walls. The Queen raised her hand but the minutes passed before the assembly resumed its composure once more. It was clearly evident that her first radio address was not going to be quiet and sedate. She wondered how much, if any, the public was hearing.

The prisoners experienced their confusion out loud. The guards had trouble quieting them down so that they could hear the rest of the Queen's speech. Wyatt rubbed his forehead, trying to will out the noise. The metal flakes. Was that the Moritanium? As though on cue, an image of Glitch flashed in his mind.

"The explosive material can be molded and assume any shape that the sculptor wishes it to have. Another individual, one who possesses magical aptitude, then infuses the Moritanium with magical energy. The explosive material is then ignited in a common alchemistic manner. Researches from the Royal Academy of Sciences believe that the inclusion of charged Moritanium increases the destructive power by one hundred. Tomorrow morning I will put forth before the esteemed House of Lords a proposal to restrict and regulate the mining of Moritanium in the Black Mountains until the insurgents are brought to justice. During this difficult time, the various mining companies and their employees will be duly compensated for lost profits and wages. I encourage all citizens of Central City and all of the peoples of the Outer Zone to be vigilant for any objects that are not of the ordinary, ones that do not match the décor of their surroundings. If any such objects are found, notify your local police precinct immediately. In addition, squads made up of elite and select members from the royal army will be in charge of conducting the special searches and investigations of any reported suspicious material. The squads, hereon in will be referred to as the P.S.O.Z., Protective Squad of the Outer Zone and will report directly to the Provost Marshall. To all peoples of the Outer Zone, do not live in fear. With this increased presence and vigilance, the insurgents will soon be brought to justice and peace and light will once more flow through the Outer Zone. To all peoples of the Outer Zone, remain vigilant and steadfast, and together we will defeat the darkness once more. To all peoples of the Outer Zone, rest now, and do not fear the night. May peace be with you."

The Queen was done. It had been a relatively short speech, but it reverberated through the Great Hall and across the radio waves.

The lords sat in stunned silence. The Witch had developed the anti-Sun Seeder and while its destructive power was unmatched, its presence was clearly evident. In fact, the black tower still stood high, its major components ever so slowly being dismantled for scrap. What now frightened the lords into their current stupor was the unknown. The explosive substance can be molded in to any shape. Some of them even went so far as to silently look underneath their padded chairs and poke a nearby book or two. No one could remember the last time the Great Hall stood so silent.

The Speaker of the House, Lord Ryder slowly stood from his seat. He walked in front of his fellow lords but did not approach the Queen. He turned and looked upon the rows and rows of colleagues. Some were fledglings but most he had known for ages.

"Esteemed lords, we are under a crisis not experienced since the rise of the Witch. We stood silent before and that was our downfall. Your majesty, with all due respect, the House of Lords will not stand idly by this time." He waved his arm in an encircling gesture. "Tonight is a night of reflection and rest." He paused to allow his words to sink in to his audience. "In the morning, I am sure that there will be many questions." He then walked over to the side of the podium and pulled on a thick golden cord. The loud clang of a hidden bell rang throughout the hall. It was the signal to the other lords that business was done for the day.

After the last clang, the lords began to dismiss and loud conversations, some bordering on debate already, ensued. Watching the noisy din, Dr. Addison thought to himself, "Oh yes, Lord Ryder, reflect on what you have heard tonight. We will see just how chatty you are tomorrow morning."

"Get goin' Cain! Back to your cell!" One of the nameless guards jabbed at his knee with his baton.

Cain slowly rose and began to skirt around the chairs that had been pushed asunder by the other prisoners. P-Soz, he thought to himself. This can't be good.