City Hall
“That’s the second train this month that’s been ransacked,” Mayor Rosencrantz growled.
He stood before his expansive, office window overlooking the snow-covered homes and shops below. He was dressed in an evergreen suit with a tapioca undershirt, earthen-brown waistcoat, and green tie. His hands were folded behind his back, his brown, shrewd eyes darting from one ant to another. That’s what they all were now: ants trying to make it in a glass tank, working to feed each other; but some were breaking the rules.
Chief Officer Peter Cromwell stood behind him, his white-gloved hand curled about his garrison cap as he stood at attention in his black uniform. His blonde brows lowered over eyes that were blue like the sky had once been.
“It’s just a gang of miscreants. They don’t seem to take much. They take only what they need,” the officer informed.
“Just a gang, Officer Cromwell?” the mayor turned to regard the man with a brow raised in disbelief. “Do you know how many gangs there are in this city? It’s not like life isn’t already hard enough. I was hoping that we could all learn to survive peacefully; instead, those men and women want steal from others, steal from those who work for their clothes and meals. I won’t stand for it any longer. Next thing you know, they’ll be trying to ruin this city with anarchy.”
“The hunters say they’re wolves.”
“Wolves?” the mayor echoed in shock. “Why, there haven’t been any wolves around here for 200 years!”
“Yes, I am aware.”
“Then why wolves? Gangs and now these lunatics with guns; this city is already on its way to disaster. Huh, well now, the next time you meet a man who talks about wolves driving around in vehicles and robbing supply trains, you bring him to me. I need to hear this from the horse’s mouth. But yes, about that train problem…”
“It’s been taken care of,” Officer Cromwell informed. “I sent a letter to the capital, and this train that is to arrive here at 2100 will have a C-113 Centaur aboard. Human or wolf; if they try to rob this train, they won’t survive to reap the spoils.”
The mayor’s brows lifted in concern. “A Centaur? Are they mad? They’re petty thieves not terrorists.”
Officer Cromwell frowned softly. “Not to condescend, Sir, but you wanted something to be done about it, and this is the result. As I said, they are nothing but miscreants, and I had spoke about them lightly to learn more about your opinion of them. Simply, if they’re stealing from the train, then they’re stealing from this city. We cannot afford to waste the supplies we acquire from the capital on felons. As for the other gangs, I’ll have the guards catch them and put them in prison, and then they’ll be shipped to the capital for trial.”
The mayor regarded the officer as though they were strangers. He was lost for words, having no comments for the soldier’s final solution. He had imagined a much more lenient punishment than death and imprisonment, but perhaps these weren’t lenient times. Perhaps he was too soft, and such was the reason why discord was growing in the city? His eyes softened from their tense stare and he turned back to sullenly face his office window and the city below.
“Fine; that’ll be all, Officer Cromwell.”
The officer bowed and replied, “Have a nice day, Mayor Rosencrantz.”
Straightening, the officer turned toward the doors and took his leave as the edges of his lips unzipped into a sadistic grin.
NPCs
Mayor Rosencrantz – Mayor of Freeze City
Officer Cromwell – Chief Officer of the Freeze City Guard (a.k.a The Police)