"...One Giant Leap For Mankind."

Discontent ripped through the Do-Nothing crowd, dismayed faces mixed with righteous anger. Several Do-Nothings raised their paint-guns, intent on finding Lawrence themselves. Zipper herself ran a hand through her hair. So much had happened recently that, in a way, she found herself not even caring anymore.

As long as he leaves me alone, as long as I can go back to Bronx-12 and hang out in my apartment…I’d feel fine.

Lawrence continued speaking on the stream. “My sailors are working tirelessly to stabilize the situation. They are headed to the Human Congress, to the orbital rings, to the lunar capital. They will fight without fear to repel the incoming Martian fleet and the Home Division that wish to harm us so. But it’s not enough. To truly repulse this threat and achieve our destiny, the people must rise. Take to the streets, Polymermen!”

Do-Nothings dropped their beers as they realized the severity of the situation - the Polymermen were now yanking at the fences, pulling at the barricades.

“For the Polymermen in Saint Francisco - repel the Do-Nothings and seize the Presidio! You have nothing to fear but fear itself. I will join you shortly. The fate of humanity rests in the hands of the people. Do your part. Become men of polymer and this universe shall be yours. Fight! Don’t back down, don’t surrender, seize what is rightfully yours!”

The livestream ended. All was quiet for a moment; even the band stopped playing.

Then the Polymermen poured over the barricades, dressed in their brown fatigues, armed with pie-guns. They came in by the dozens, then by the hundreds, rushing into the courtyard, knocking away any Do-Nothings remaining in their path, ripping up the grass, banners and flags advancing, screaming eagles at the front. Several platoons dressed like ye old  Revolutionary War characters armed with flutes and battledrums began playing that Polymermen theme When Johnny Comes Marching Home as their comrades rushed onto the courtyard. The music sounded heavy, ominous, thunderous, but played with human hands, giving it an emotional core that no Alt-I could replicate, human all the way through, but maybe the darker side of the indomitable human spirit was on display here today...

"One Small Step For Man!" Polymermen with bullhorns yelled at the broken barricades, urging their comrades toward the Kingdom and the Presidio.

"One Giant Leap For Mankind!" came the answer as they flooded the Roman villa, staining the marble as they ganged up on Do-Nothings caught in their grasp, rolling thunder across the Kingdom, pent-up anger unleashed, a grand display of emotion and violence. 

The Marsists-Leninists and other armed Do-Nothings stepped up now. After the pie-guns began firing, so did the paintballs, and the two factions clashed under dark clouds. 

"One Giant Leap for Mankind!"

A light drizzle began, the courtyard transforming into mud, Polyermen and Do-Nothings alike rolling in the muck, screams and cheers mixed together, flurries of suits-and-ties against working fatigues, a crowd trying to escape with nowhere to go, while the ominous wave advanced further and further towards the cathedral.

"One Giant Leap for Mankind!"

Up on the stage, security tried to usher the band off, but Joe simply sighed. He looked at his bandmates.

“I ‘spose we started this, consciously or not. Only right we’re here until the end.”

Joe gripped the microphone tightly. “Listen, all you Do-Nothings…not one step back, dig?”

The band immediately played its fastest song, an electric tune that swept across the courtyard, the guitars now battling with the flutes for supremacy. On the ground, the Polymermen still had the momentum and were gaining. As they neared the stage, a cadre of paintball-gunners kept up continuous fire. Crimson splattered across screaming eagles.

Zipper, utterly apathetic now, didn’t know or care what to do.

“Say, Kaede,” Sue ventured, taking off her cat ears. “What should we do?”

Kaede looked sick.

“Yaho…Kaede-chan?” Kyoko said, gazing at her friend.

Dozens of Do-Nothings rushed up to Kaede.

“Chairman, what do we do?”

“We need a plan, Chairman!”

“They’re gaining ground-”

“I don’t know!” Kaede screamed, whipping off the shades, the toothpick flying away. “I dunno, I dunno, I dunno! I’m just a writer, not some revolutionary! This whole Chairman bit, I just wanted to be somebody! I don’t know anything about military tactics or nothing like that!”

A delirious Kaede grabbed Zipper by the collars. “What do we do? What do we do?!”

An apathetic Zipper couldn’t help but grin. “Who’s the poser now, eh?”

Nat smacked her on the head, then motioned at the stage.

“Nat’s right!” Sue realized. “Screw everyone else, let’s escape-”

Nat smacked Sue on the head, then pointed at the stage, where the band kept playing.

“The Polymermen are getting close,” Azuki said, voice calm. “Let’s evacuate the band and escape out a side entrance.”

Nat led the way, clamoring up the stage, the girls soon joining her. Right as they arrived though, it was too late - the Polymermen were here, draped in eagle flags, flutes blaring, pie-guns firing. When the first Polymerman got on the stage, Nat headbutted him off with her Stahlhelm, then whistled. Charles and Altamont appeared, roaring and squawking, and the Polymermen didn’t sign up to fuck with no monkey, so they kept their distance for a moment.

The band finally stopped playing.

“Joe!” Azuki said. “We need to go.”

The band looked at the chaos in the courtyard, the villa now in ruins. Paint dripped down the Roman columns; the tiled roofs collapsed; Polyermen toppled statues of old consuls. Smoke rose from the fires they started; they cheered all the while to the tune of flutes.

“I know,” Joe said.

But the Polymermen swarmed the stage, and they caught Joe at the back of it. They held him tight, Azuki screaming, trying to claw her way to him, so one attacked her now, kimono tearing, until Sue planted her cat ears in the man’s eyes. Sue took Azuki by the hand and dragged her off, over her protests and tears, as the Polymermen hauled away her great love.

Zipper watched him go, only capable of feeling a certain numbness at this point.

As long as it’s not me, as long as I can live a peaceful life…I’d feel fine.

Yeah...and I'd feel fine.

Right?