Mae had just come home from a long deployment, taking off his cape and attire, setting it aside. The feline had then taken off his helmet last, turning it over to look at the front of it. Blood splatter… as it came with the job.

He set the helmet aside, moving to the shower to wash the day off of him. Another great day of defending Freedom and Democracy, is what he’d like to tell himself, but deep down underneath the exterior of indoctrination something was wrong. All of it… the lies, the truths he was exposed to, and those-

“Did you fill out the C-01 form? Tonight is the night” His wife called out to him from outside the bathroom, snapping him out of his trance.

“Y-Yeah, it’s all filled out and submitted. We’re fine” He replied, proceeding to go back to washing himself.

Per the orders of the Super Earth Ministries, those to engage in sexual acts must fill out a C-01 Form in order to proceed. Marriage was already taken care of, as they had been together for quite awhile. It made Mae think a bit on the nature of his work, and if everything was really-

“You’ve been in for awhile, come on out” She called, snapping Mae out of his trance again.

He shook his head, turning off the shower and stepping out of it, but not before grabbing a towel to start and dry his fur. It would be awhile before he would be able to be completely dry, in which his wife approached him and gently placed her hand to his cheek.

“Don’t worry about it, for tonight, is for Super Earth; for the future of Freedom and Democracy” She whispered into his ear, before pulling back and cupping his chin. The two leaned in, their lips soon to make contact, starting their passionate night of-

“SIR!!!!”

Mae was jolted out of his trance, holding his P-4 Senator revolver, looking around all puzzled.

“Sir, your decision…?”

Decision…? Right, he was sent here to investigate a squad of Helldivers committing treason against Super Earth. Mae could feel the weight of his revolver… still loaded and eager to seek their targets.

“They’re lying to you, all of them!! You should know, we only want what’s best for Super Earth and its citizens! Democracy can’t be spread thr-” Was all one of them could manage before Mae pulled the trigger, effortlessly.

The Helldiver fell to the ground, a bullet hole penetrating his skull as Mae looked at the other three. They’re mortified, but they were still resolute in their conviction.

“You let them lie to you like this…? You’re just their lap dog, obeying them and sucking up their nonse-” Another shot fired off. Mae didn’t give the others time to speak and unloaded the other two rounds into their skulls as well.

“I know…” He solemnly whispered to himself. “Fire upon their Super Destroyers until it’s reduced to rubble” He ordered before walking away, affirmations from his subordinates as he let his thoughts wander on the way to the Pelican.

He stood in the Pelican alongside his subordinates as they sat down, holding onto a railing as it blasted off and breached the atmosphere. It took a minute before they reached the Super Destroyer, the giant ship painted in style of the Truth Enforcers, a special subsect of the Ministry of Truth. The Pelican had landed in the hangar, Mae’s squad making their way out and going their separate ways; where the Squad went to go and fill themselves with chow from the mess hall, Mae went to go and fill out the report to send off, heading towards his personal quarters.

Greeted by numerous personnel aboard the ship and complimented on his work, he put up a front and responded to them in kind. It was easy to do considering the Helmet hid his face, obscuring the look it displayed as he arrived at his personal quarters. He opened the door, walking in and closing it behind him, taking off his helmet to set on the table as he sat down and began to write up the report. But it didn't take long in writing up the report that he began to recall every detail with explicit vividness as he was forced to do so for the accuracy of the report, his hand writing becoming faster and sloppier. As he continued his hand began to shake, causing him to grab it as his breaths became more labored and uneven, quickly standing up and grabbing his helmet.

“LIBERTY DAMNIT!!!!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, throwing the helmet against the ground as hard as he could. Breathing heavily, he walked to the laboratory to clean himself up, letting the water run as he began to splash his face with it.

Thinking he had cooled himself off enough, he stopped the water and grabbed the towel to dry the fur of his face. Setting the towel aside he turned his attention to the mirror to look at his reflection and what was shown was him as a fresh Cadet after his Helldives; proud, boisterous, and confident, nothing could break him so long as Liberty was by his side. The naïveté for which he once held and his blissful ignorance to everything, how he wished for the simpler days of constant Helldives to return to. To stomp out the Bugs and eradicate the Bots that dared to stand against Super Earth.

And by his side accompanying him, was the Chief that had helped him on not only his first dive, but numerous ones there after. Mae opened his mouth, almost as if he tried to say something, a cry or a plea, as if he pictured the Chief to be standing right behind him the entire time he stood there. But it was a lie, all of it was a lie; behind twisted truths and forked tongues, there was only one thing that remained constant above all else, his decision to remove that which held him back.

“No…” He quietly said, punching the mirror and shattering it. “I’m not who I once was… I had to change. I won’t remain stagnant and cling to weakness!” He turned and exited the laboratory, walking over to his bed to see a package; a brand new and issued cape towards him, with a note attached to it. ‘Am I… just now noticing this?’ He thought to himself as he grabbed the note, reading it.

“To those who continue to keep Liberty well protected, further spread Managed Democracy, and remind those who deviate, Super Earth has administered this cape in response of your valiant efforts and accolades. Named the ‘Defender of our Dream’ you are the shining beacon and guiding Hand of Liberty, that keeps Super Earth and her citizens well-being safe and protected.

May Liberty guide you well.”

Reading the note gave him a sour feeling in his chest, but his face mimicked nothing. It was as plain and barren as the planet he had just left, casting the note aside as he opened the package and pulled out the cape. The fabric was made of something else he couldn’t pinpoint, yet he took off his old one to don the new cape. Nothing changed and nothing came of it.

“Initiating FTL Jump to, the Vernen Wells System.”

His ear twitched in response to the announcement, feeling the ship make the jump to Vernen Wells and prep the Hellpods. Mae turned and reached downwards to pick up the helmet, not a singular scratch on it as he put it back on. He looked at the report, having finished it before the mess he caused, turning to exit the room.

“Mae, come in.” One of his subordinates said as he exited the room, the helmet notifying him of who exactly was saying it. “There are more Treacherous Bastards aiming to take down our way of life.”

He simply nodded his face now devoid of all empathy as he began to make his way towards the bridge for the mission debrief.

“Proceeding.” He responded, pulling his P-4 Senator from the side, examining it. It still retained the scratches and dents from his first dive and those that followed, fear no longer gripping him as it did before, no… now it was a loss of purpose, aimlessness. He closed his eyes and holstered the revolver, opening them back up as he arrived at the bridge, taking his position and leaning over the holographic War Table.

“Let us begin.”

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Artist:  Amarihel