ME: Time for an execution and an unwelcome announcement. A/N: Interlude.
TIME: Flashback
Enobaria held her clipboard, glancing at the three subordinates under her command who were manning flamethrowers.
The trial of a wicked pervert had been concluded, and now an execution would occur.
Five Peacekeeper MPs walked out with a prisoner in tow. One held him by the scruff of his neck, while the other four formed a protective quadrilateral. The prisoner's hands were only bound with rope, but the armed guards more then compensated. They forced him to his knees in front of the team before withdrawing behind the flamethrowers.
"Former Head Peacekeeper Peter Cray," she began, "you have been found guilty by a general court-martial's panel in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice of treason, corruption, gross misconduct, mismanagement of a District as Head Peacekeeper, solicitation of prostitutes and statuary rape. For your crimes, you are hereby dishonorably discharged effective immediately and sentenced to death by fire. I would like to note that had you not solicited underage girls for sex instead you would have been executed via firing squad, hanging or decapitation-therefore, you have brought this on yourself. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Cray simply spit on the ground.
"Very well, then," the First Lieutenant replied. With that she ordered, "Fire!"
The flames engulfed Cray, making him fall to the ground screaming in pain. Enobaria felt no pity for the pathetic example of a Head Peacekeeper.
Later on she practiced sword-fighting with Laura. Although the District 4 native was a competent opponent, Enobaria had grown up in the more militant Career District and beat her most of the time.
She handed her second-in-command a canteen just as the PA system boomed.
"Safeguard, Safeguard, Safeguard," Head Peacekeeper Remus Thread announced. "Safeguard rule now in force. Say again, Safeguard rule now in force."
Both junior officers frowned. Safeguard meant the Peacekeeper forces were shifting from exercises to dealing with real threats. Any broadcast would be preceded by the word Safeguard three times to confirm it wasn't a drill.
"Attention all Peacekeepers," came a second voice, "this is Head Peacekeeper of the Armies Gaius Augustus. It appears that Panem is now on the verge of rebellion. In spite of the Quarter Quell and the end of the Uprising in District Eight, the rabble are increasing their defiance of the Government. By direct order of President Coriolanus Snow himself, we are to prepare for war. Remember that if the rebels are not put down with extreme prejudice, innocent civilians will be slaughtered by the savage hordes as they were during the Dark Days."
A/N: I gave Cray his first name after the current CEO of Cray Inc., a supercomputer company. The UCMJ/general court-martial is a reference to American military justice, while the Safeguard rule stuff is a Royal Navy thing. And Gaius Augustus is named after the first Emperor of Rome.