Terrick felt inadequate. He was used to the feeling. Recognized the truth.

He was just a man.

One who had vowed long ago to stop the inexorable tide plaguing the station, one who had believed in the common good of mankind, one who had attempted to inspire the people, a voice of reason.

But still… just a man.

“126,548” Terrick whispered to himself.

“So large, and yet…” He looked at the device again. 126551. He had no idea if that number was good or not. Part of him hoped it was, hoped that he had been doing a good enough job.

The sane part though?

That ever growing number terrified him down to the core. Ever present, he couldn’t ignore it, the implications. The certainty.

Looking around the room he couldn’t help but wonder if the others felt the same way.

“Councilor Terrick?” Alliandra asked the room, beginning roll call.

“Here.” He raised his hand.

She continued on. Seven people in total were here.

Terrick, Dyrian, Wyndra, Hvaldi, Yestro Tovadin and Overseer Alliandra.

The absentees weighed on Terrick’s mind.

“As some council members are not present, there will be a vote on whether to hold the session.” Alliandra spoke. Terrick had heard the words thousands of times, tens of thousands. But today it concerned him.

It had never been three.

Hinkle only showed up on rare occasions, and Falia oftentimes skipped. But Ky?

That madman had never missed.

Terrick found himself standing alone, the only person voting for the session to be canceled.

“Terrick!” Tovadin happily spoke from across the room. “How dare you try and throw away our only chance at a quiet meeting!”

He scowled. Say what you would about Ky, but unlike some people he held to his promises. Tovadins false cheer faded when Terrick did not deign to respond.

Alliandra broke the silence with her monotone voice, speaking slightly less familiar words. “If any council members have a motion to bring forward before we discuss policy implementation, now is the time.”

A frustrating addition. Policy implementation.

A madness Terrick had disagreed with from the start. Every policy decision that came up was attached to a mundane question. Each qualified citizen would come up with their solution to the problem, then guess Steve’s answer to the attached question. The closest guess won.

Terrick hated it, hated that such a thing could come to pass.

Most of all? He hated a disturbing fact. There are seven people in this room and he had been the only one against it.

Terrick, Falia and Ky.

The voice of reason, the artist, and the madman.

A sad day when Ky was one of the few on the side of reason. Although a common one.

It was one of the reasons he hated the man not being here, Terrick didn’t like Ky, he’d been the only one to never vote for one of the bastard’s proposals but…

Ky had always had Terrick’s back when he asked.

He chuckled ruefully, if Ky were here he’d be saved from asinine policy decisions for a time. That man always had a new motion up his sleeve. Terrick figured no one else woul-

Tovadin stepped forward. “I have a question that I would like to have addressed.” Alliandra nodded for him to continue. “On the second day of our Emperor's regency, a curious event happened, a supposed miscommunication. Our translator for English, who had our vote of confidence, held an issue with Dyrian’s personal translators work.” He turned to Dyrian. “I would like clarification on the nature of said disagreement.”

“Of course.” Dyrian stated, with his eternally patient smile. “Nuori, our translator, claimed my translator miscommunicated the Emperor’s words. The accusation was later proven false.”

“So,” Terrick raised an eyebrow. “You are claiming that Nuori lied?”

“I did not say that.” Dyrian replied, losing his smile.

“No, you only inferred it.” Tovadin turned back to Alliandra. “This is quite concerning to me Overseer. According to Dyrian, our translator lied about the Emperor’s words. What would be the official punishment under our new rulings?”

“Execution.” Alliandra emotionlessly responded. Dyrian shifted uncomfortably.

“Certainly justified, we cannot be having such deceptiveness within a person of influence.” Tovadin addressed the room. “Nuori had a history of violence, addiction and depression. Our analysis indicated that her past may make her somewhat mentally unstable. I have to ask. Knowing what we do, why would we put her within such a position in the first place? Anyone?”

An ethereal whisper echoed through the room. “Data analysis also indicated she was the only one with sufficient knowledge of the language. There was only a single option.” Yestro clarified.

“Ah, of course.” Tovadin turned back to Dyrian, smiling. Predatory. “If only we knew Dyrian had one hidden away.”

“I did not.” Dyrian eyed Tovadin, defiant. “I had someone learn. I did not simply waste these two months.”

“How did they learn, Dyrian? Not really any teaching guides for the language out there.”

“How do you learn anything? The archives of course.”

“It must’ve been quite difficult learning a language from scratch. Your translator must be a transcendent talent, I feel it is imperative we bring them on as a replacement immediately. What is their name?”

“Lyrcen.” Dyrian responded, staring at Tovadin.

“Yestro?” Tovadin shifted his head towards the ball.

“... Initial results are indicating that Lyrcen has not put adequate research into the topic. Candidate is unqualified.” The machine responded after a moment.

“So, Dyrian, did you lie to us about your translators capabilities?”

Dyrian closed his eyes, bracing himself. Terrick knew what was about to happen and he hated it.

Don’t do this Dyrian, don’t you fucking do this.

“I did not lie.” The damned man spoke.

“So your translator misled you?”

“Yes” Dyrian choked out. Filled with self loathing.

“Alliandra, what would the punishment be for this man who misled our dear counselor Dyrian?” A smug Tovadin asked her.

Terrick wanted to punch him in the face.

“As he is not an official translator, the council must vote on guilt. However if found guilty he would certainly be put to death.”

“Well.” Tovadin motioned to the room. “Shall we?”

So casual Terrick clenched his fists. He called for a man’s death, as if ordering a drink.

Sometimes…

He bit his cheek hard to push down the whisper, tasted his blood. Mortality.

Calm, Terrick. Calm, there is still a chance.

He unclenched his fists, trying to shake the familiar thought. The ancient temptation.

He looked around the room, realizing he was the only one that had not moved.

“Dyrian, and Wyndra for the Nays. Tovadin, Yestro and Hvaldi for the ayes.” Alliandra intoned, looking meaningfully at Terrick. He moved to join his side.

“Terrick to the nays. As it is a split decision, I will intercede with my own vote.”

Terrick had known Allie was his only hope. Yestro and Hvaldi were rightfully out for blood after Dyrian’s stunt, he understood their feelings but disagreed with the action. Lyrcen had only followed orders, the man deserving punishment stood in this room.

And had the gall to look fucking guilty.

What did you expect to happen Dyrian? Did you honestly expect there to be no consequences?

No. Dyrian had been at the game long enough to know what would happen. He acted anyway. If Terrick had…

Breath out… Calm.

Why was it so much easier to get through this insanity with Ky here?

The other person standing next to Terrick? Wyndra didn’t look concerned, she looked angry and indignant. Angry at the accusation, but not a care for the life that was about to be snuffed out.

Tovadin? Fuck Tovadin.

The self important shit was trying to get a man killed, and for what? What was his angle? Terrick didn’t even see this making political sense, let alone moral.

That was the kid’s problem. He wasn’t as smart as he thought he was. Terrick had seen a dozen Tovadins. They make plans, play with people’s lives, then die screaming.

Terrick bit his cheek again before the next thought took hold.

He looked at Alliandra, waiting for her decision. She met his eyes and smiled, reached into her pocket and pulled out…

FUCK

Terrick made for the exit, he couldn’t stay here, couldn’t handle this. Behind him the coin went up, landed in the Overseer’s palm.

“Lyrcen will be put to death, was there any other business before moving on to policy?”

Just like that a man was to be killed.

As soon as Terrick was out of the room he started running. He needed to get away. Away from the madness. Away so he could control himself.

He was just a man, a normal one, a sane one. How could he deal with monsters.

He looked at the number. 134,276.

Terrick was not okay with dying. Sometimes he thought that was a rarity, when he was younger he joined the council. Not out of a desire for power like Tovadin. Not for a goal like Dyrian.

Terrick just felt there needed to be someone in power that actually valued life. How could you value someone else's life if you did not value your own?

Was it naive of him to think he could change the station, change the people? Try to convince them to be better?

Maybe, but Terrick knew the problem started at the top, something had to change.

They don’t expect anything from me. His hand shook. So many times I could have pulled a knife and slit their throats, it’s the only-

He bit his cheek almost all the way through.

It’ll be seen as a coup, the milterists and Synths might argue put I could-

Terrick slammed his fist into the wall. Only a few broken fingers. He looked at it for a second and punched again. Again and again, slamming his fist, trying to push the thoughts down.

Beat them out, diffuse the anger. He would calm down. He needed to calm down. Be the change you wish to see. Be polite Terrick. Be reasonable. These problems shouldn’t be solved by violence. By madness.

It felt like that’d be easier, all he need to do was grab a knife and-

CALM

He pulled back to punch again and found he couldn’t move his arm.

Must've thrown my shoulder. He looked down at the bloody mess of his hand, split open, bone visible and sighed. He'd need to get that fixed up before anyone noticed.

Terrick shook his head.

Why did everyone else have to be so insane?