As always the standard disclaimer applies: I do not own the Happy Tree Friends; they are the property of Mondo Media. In addition the character of Fresko the Feline belongs to Deviant Art user Yoshi Lord. I own only my own characters and this story.
Now here's chapter 46:
46 – COUNCIL WORRIES
"Our mayor has always been a little headstrong" said Toothy, "but never so that she couldn't be reasoned with. She's also very competent, and usually cooperative. But lately things have begun to change."
"Change how?" asked Fresko. He and Toothy were sitting by Toothy's main window, watching the landscape far below drift by very slowly.
"It started right after we caught the would-be saboteurs of the flying system." said Toothy, "I think that scared all of us more than we've admitted, even to ourselves. Robot has shown us that the city wasn't in danger but it was still just luck that we were able to stop the plot so quickly. Mayor King seemed especially affected. Even though she didn't actually come out and say it, I got the feeling that she wanted to immediately execute the two saboteurs and the two infiltrators without even stopping to interrogate them first."
"Well," said Fresko, "I know some who would feel the same way."
"And if we'd done that" said Toothy, "we might not have discovered about the move against the Animal City until it was too late."
"This is true" conceded Fresko.
"At the time she did say that she thought we should interrogate the prisoners, get everything out of them that we could, and then execute them" said Toothy, "nobody liked that, but she threatened to use her power as Mayor to have it done anyway."
"Can she actually do that?" asked Fresko.
"Yes" said Toothy, "in times of extreme crisis, when the city is judged to be in such danger that the normal course of justice can't work, the mayor does have the power to order prisoners executed without trial. And so do the three leaders of the three communities within their own community."
"You mean you could order an animal executed out of hand?" asked Fresko.
"Technically yes," said Toothy, "but no leader has ever actually used that power in many, many years. In fact, no one in the city has been executed in my lifetime, or in the lifetimes of anyone else on the council, including Robot, and he's 175 years old!"
"It doesn't seem like the city is in extreme danger right now" said Fresko.
"You wouldn't think so" said Toothy, "if the incident with those infiltrators didn't make us feel so vulnerable. Mayor King says that as long as we're flying we should consider the city in an unending state of emergency."
"Has she actually acted on her powers?" asked Fresko.
"No" said Toothy, "so far we've been able to persuade her not to but it hasn't always been easy. She's a strong-willed person and maybe she cares about protecting the city too much. She even said she's willing to be as ruthless as the Marauders if necessary."
"That's not comforting" said Fresko, "but why are you telling me all of this? I have a feeling there's more to it than your desire to vent to a friend."
"You're right" said Toothy seriously, "when the decision was made to accept the prisoners from your most recent battle the Mayor was against it; she wanted them all executed as soon as they arrived here."
Fresko blinked.
"But that's a thousand people!" he exclaimed, "isn't that going a bit far?"
"I would think so" said Toothy glumly, "her reasoning was that taking in so many hostile prisoners at once put the city at risk if something should go wrong in the transport and there was a mass breakout."
"That is something to think about" said Fresko, "but I still don't think that justifies a massacre."
"Neither do we" said Toothy, "and the entire Council was united against her on this. She accepted the decision but I still wonder. What if next time – ?"
"Maybe there won't be a next time" said Fresko, "Who says it has to go further? Maybe all of the opposition she's facing on this issue will make her think twice."
"I hope so" said Toothy, "I really do. The worst thing that could happen would be for fighting within the Council to start."
"If the transport goes well and the prisoners are safely moved," said Fresko, "perhaps that will calm your mayor down."
"Maybe" said Toothy. They sat for a while in silence, watching the land below go by. Finally Toothy stood up, stretched, and headed for the door of his home.
"Come with me" he said to Fresko.
"Where are we going?" asked Fresko, getting up to follow.
"Up to the city roof" said Toothy, "there are some old friends up there who I think would love to see you again."
(To Be Continued)