Not With a Bang, But With a Whimper.

A circle of black, navy blue, and dark green robed figures stood in a circle within an ornately decorated basement. A vaulted white ceiling shook suddenly, quickly but noticeable. Pieces of the white plaster that covered the roof fell to the ground as small crumbs. Outside one could hear screams of terror, yells of rage, and the telltale explosion of a grenade. There was a riot going on above, for all the right reasons.... yet most, if not everyone knew that the rioters would lose. The system they fought against was too powerful, much to powerful, and backed by a complex of superiority much heavier than those of centuries before.

In the year of 2107, the people were split as always. Segregation, reminiscent of the 1960s and 70s once again plagued the world. Genetics, as defined by a Dr. Francis Decan, are not just the building blocks of life... but essentially a guide to every person's nature: they are either inferior, or superior. Indirectly, Decan seemed to be the reason for this hooded group's formation, though they would never think to thank him for it.

Back in the basement, a single man crouched, circled by the rest of the members. They were the Circle of the Pulse, and today was the fated initiation of a new member to their just cause. One man, it seemed from a lower voice, stood upright and forward, looking down to the new member. His face was cast in shadow from the hood that marred all features. His name was Jacob Augustus Nero, one of the few Circle Leaders. With a loud, commanding voice, he addressed the new member:

"You are about to become one of us. A justice-bringer, a hope-seeker. Do recite the 6 Solemn Virtues now, before your fellow brothers and sisters."

The man stood from where he once crouched. Holding his head up high, he looked into the eyes of his elder and recited what he was taught.

"Follow always the moral codes of man. Never associate to one group, we all share the bond of a pulse. Discrimination against any group of people is forbidden. Any actions of the Circle must be kept secret from all non-members. Murder is expressly forbidden aside from the one circumstance. We of the Circle work to end the corruption that is genetic superiority, to work against such a noble cause is treason." The new member said.

Jacob Nero bent slightly. Firelight from one of the lamps at the wall caught the darkness of his face and unveiled a glint of a smile. Nero put a hand to his new brother's shoulder. In a voice to address everyone there, he asked:

"Fellow brothers and sisters, what is the motto of which our new brother should never forget?!"

A harmony of voices answered the leader's call.

"We are the Circle of the Pulse. We work to end the tyrannies of man. Our cause is to bring humanity together once more. The Pulse brings us together as one."


.................


Days had passed since the riots. Just as most thought, the situation was indeed hopeless. Ten rioters died before the "antagonizer" finally called off the angered and distressed peoples. Those who brought forth their pain, was the military. A hateful machine bred by DNA Superiors who lived in the Upper Cities. As quickly as they appeared to take down the people they affectionately deemed "trash", they left with looks of disgust and contempt. They all flew right back to their cushy utopia in the sky; great cities of gold and silver, steel and platinum... indeed, they were something to behold. They stood as fantastic reminders of who was on top, and who groveled at the bottom.

Those cities, all named in Latin, contained the greatest technology, intellectuals, art, and military of the time. The DNA Superior controlled everything; the economy, government, and even something as minute as one's salary was decided or directed by them. To a DNA Superior, it was everyday, happy-go-lucky life... but to any DNA Inferior, it was the veritable oasis that they dreamed for at night when they tried to forget just how rotten their lives actually were. But everything there was so far from being in the hands of a DNA Inferior. Their own genetics deemed them unworthy, unfit, and altogether undesirable.

The Circle of the Pulse, however, worked to end this. It was a system of a hundred years that had to be broken. Just as their creed stated, they would work to bring societies back together as one. So there they were, an underground society, unknown by most... notorious by some. It consisted of many DNA Inferiors of course, but harbored many Superiors because they themselves hated the system their own kind bred. All of the people there were normal, everyday civilians; librarians, scholars, scientists, janitors... anyone could join as long as they had the will to act out against the most powerful force humanity has ever known.

...................

Jacob Nero stood days after the coronation of their new member, at a large round table. His was surrounded by the other members who could make it. All was silent in their chamber below the earth. He lifted his hood from his head, revealing his face. As he looked to his fellow Circle members, he held a poker face. As he looked to the table's surface, he pointed to a single location on the hard wood. It was polished and formed to look just like the earth's surface... it was a large map of the world. All the Under-Towns and the Upper-Cities were shown in some detail, along with various mountain ranges and bodies of water.

The point at which we directed everyone's eyes to, was none other than their own region's Upper City: Tentationem Moenia. It was by far the largest, most extravagant of the cities, as well as the central hub to all others. Looking to his fellow brothers and sisters, he started to speak.

"I've decided on a plan of action, brought it to our Circle Master, Albrecht Huff, and he seems to agree with it as a valid course of action. We will be infiltrating this city. Well... not only this city, but multiple cities. This has been the in planning stages for years, it is finally time to act against this corrupt system." He paused there to see the reactions of his fellow members. "Are there any questions, before I continue?"

Carl Token Bowie narrowly made it to the meeting that Jacob Nero himself had proposed for all members who had the time to make it to the event. Carl was beginning to think he would be too late for it, and miss some information, but he was right on time, surprisingly. This was a new feeling for Carl, as he wasn't exactly the best at meeting these timeframes when something life-threatening wasn't at stake.

The last few days had been hell for Carl and nearly everyone in the Circle. Hearing the rioteers up above and not being able to lift a finger to help them was maddening. Though he knew such action would go against the code that the Circle had created to keep their justice true, he wished a foul death on all who lived up above. Carl kept such thoughts to himself, and truthfully would never be able to bring himself to kill a man in the first place, but it was still there in his head, bothering him.

"I can't be thinking about these things at a time like this," Carl said to himself, sighing deeply. "It is a time for action, as Nero says. There is no room for my foul thoughts on the matter."

Carl turned his attention to Nero, as he told them about his plans for the Upper City of Tentationem Moenia. It was a great city, one that Carl had grown up in. He had a score to settle with the people of that foul place, though he wouldn't do anything rash. It was filled with many corrupt people who thought nothing about the inferiors, enjoying the luxuries of life that only those above could afford. But now, much to the satisfaction of Carl, was the time to strike fast and infiltrate this place. It would only be the start of their conquest against these ideas that plagued the minds of the people. Nero paused for questions, but Carl didn't have any. He wanted nothing more than to praise the Circle for finally taking action.

Chris stands very silently thinking to himself about the recent events. The last few days Chris was in his workshop working on a truck that had been abandoned for a century. When the riots started he locked up his workshop within in order to prevent destruction to his home. Day and night he heard the entire event having no sleep because of it.

Now he stands very silently to hear Nero's plans.

Zeke stood still and quiet with the others. He was never one to purposly want any attention so most of the time he was rather quiet. Whenever these riots or anything of the sort happend he was usualy the one called to repair the damage, that was often very tiring. He then focused his attention to Nero and his plan.