Rowdy Dead Productions

By David C. Daoust

Alfred Zhou had come into power- he was more surprised than anyone. All he ever wanted to do was play policeman. Truth was, he had found a fairly perfect City-station to do it on. This was all thanks to Titanholm’s environment. Put simply, it was not easy living on Titanholm. The increased gravity of the station, placed so deep within the gas giant Iopa’s atmosphere, made it an extremely uncomfortable work environment for anyone to get used to.

‘Get Strong or Go home!’ was a motto jovially thrown about quite a bit among the citizens of Titanholm. Truth was, if you were not employed on Titanholm, there were easier places to live. Yet, this same attribute that made it so hard to live on, also made it extremely worthwhile to work on. The gasses pulled from the atmosphere of Iopa, were used throughout the Solar System.

Titanholm was flush; all the citizens worked, and there was enough coin to go around- ensured everyone got paid. Including the Constabulary that were good enough to give Alfred his job as a constable.

Trouble was, those that hired him, saw a much greater possibility. Especially once Sweet Honey Zhou, his criminal sister, showed up in their sector– robbing the Royal Alliance blind. Didn’t matter that she had actually only put others up to the criminal actions- especially since she touted herself a ‘Pirate-Queen’. When those same pirates decided to turn on her, it was all the local Constabulary needed to push their real agenda forward.

The capture of Sweet Honey Zhou the Pirate Queen, made Alfred Zhou into a hero. Made him a celebrity- made him someone the people trusted. They rallied behind the Constabulary, which used Alfred to oust the current Viceroys and form the ‘Protectorate of Second States’.

Alfred –did– have to be on board to a certain extent, though convincing him that putting the police force in charge was best for all– wasn’t very hard. Mainly, because he believed in the work they did, but especially, that he was being put in a place where, he felt, he could oversee the entire endeavor.

This was not just another Viceroy party, looking to be approved by the honored Royals of the age before. This was an official institution, looking to restore a Royal back to the top. The people clamored for such an act.

Given that Titanholm was a rare gem among the Royal Alliances city-stations, and the amount of support garnered, this should have been smooth sailing. But the newly formed ‘Protectorate of Second States’ encompassed more than just the single city-station. Or, had more responsibilities than just the single city-station. They encompassed, not only, both moons that were also owned by the Royal Alliance, Umbrie and Stormbridge, but also the second City-station within the Iopa System- New Donaghy.

The moon, Stormbridge, was secure. The people there supported the Protectorate fully.

The moon, Umbrie, seemed to be trying to go in another direction, entirely. Reportedly this moon was now the Capital of the United Moons. Conferences were being held- Alfred was assured he would have more information soon…

New Donaghy, however, was the immediate concern. Where Titanholm was secure in its wealth and worth- New Donaghy was an overpopulated haven for crime and dissidence. Namely, the city-station was overrun with ‘Corridor Crews’ and the ‘Gangsters’ that were ever so prominent in such places.

Alfred Zhou felt if he could clean up that one city-station, the whole thing would be worthwhile.

Alfred had just arrived on New Donaghy. Clean and polished, the dress uniform of Alfred Zhou may have become a common sight to the people, but he did not feel like he would ever get used to it. The Constable Armor he was actually accustomed to wearing, and preferred, had been left in a locker back on Titanholm, along with the helm that once hid his visage, tucked up on a higher shelf, therein.

The broad-shouldered Royal marched behind three armored Constables, equally as massive as Zhou himself. They were each from Titanholm, whose increased gravity had a way of building the citizens up, physically. A city full of musclemen– of Titans, if you will.

Alfred had every intention of snapping the whip– there was no reason the Constables of New Donaghy could not be molded into the sterling class of those of Titanholm, muscled or no. So, when he and his retinue finally arrived in the local Constable Office, he was not surprised to find them equally as shady as those criminals they were meant to hold in check.

The perusal of their active cases proved equally as unsurprising.

Gangsters were sliding by, while children were being hauled in…

Criminal gangsters that had risen against the controlled, planned economy of the Socialist Viceroys- instead built their own business where they could. Mostly through peddling that which was illegal, that which was banned… or even just imported goods from companies not held under Royal Alliance sway.

The Corridor Crews, they were mostly children- teenagers, looking to have some fun under the standing authority’s nose.

People of the Royal Alliance weren’t exactly going hungry. Food was abundant, even if you were low on funds, Lotus was free and accessible to all. Droids literally showed up to ensure they had enough to eat, the same way a medical Droid would show up to heal them when injured. Not like the Trade Consortium where laws ensured everything had a price tag, and Lotus, itself, was banned.

Point here- they weren’t starving waifs stealing to live. They were spoiled dissidents, following behind an image of the world that put them on top, rather than following behind the ruling party. That was how Zhou saw it anyway.

In Zhou’s view they were children being tricked into playing along with those that had no interest in their wellbeing, but only the swell of their own bank account; Ultimately, criminals put these children in harm’s way, to avoid the hammer coming down on their own heads.

The popularity of these Crews, among wayward teens, was presented as a mystery in itself. Alfred Zhou was going to do everything he could to figure out how to counter it.

They were split into sectors, these small Crews all fought for their corridors- they fought for their territory. They favored custom clothing, common among their ilk. Yet the colors chosen, had defined meanings to the members and those they fought against.

From the surface, coming into the conflict, Zhou felt it was merely a way to add notoriety to the clothing and to the chosen lifestyle- or seemingly chosen lifestyle. Did they have choice at all?

This would prove only his first take, on the puzzle that was the Corridor Crews…