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[Markus hadn't known that Norman had planned a press conference until Josh had come to get him with an urgent You need to see this. And he had; he and the rest of the androids in Jericho had crowded around the half-busted, salvaged television that some of the public service androids had hooked up to watch Norman make his press conference.
A few of the androids around Markus had murmured among themselves, asking each other if they were going crazy or if they'd met Norman before. The stress level in Jericho had ticked up a notch, Markus could feel it. A human had infiltrated Jericho, a human had been here, asking questions, looking around.
But the press conference had gone on and Norman had praised the androids for their peaceful resolve in the face of human negativity, had pointed out their nonviolence as a greater show of strength than a physical revolt could be. The press had eaten it up, cameras flashing and reporters clamoring, and it made Markus' thirium pump flutter at the same time that anxiety knotted cold in the pit of his stomach.
You're going to lose your job for this, he had messaged Norman, the message appearing as a text message on the man's phone. Only to be further put out by the reply of I just did.
It made sense, in some kind of way. There was only so much Norman could do to stay on the case without results; if he hadn't done something like this to try and sway the humans, it might have gone a different way. At least this way he made a statement. He made himself a face that humans who agreed with their cause could turn to.
Markus was still bitter enough not to think that anything would come of it. The march was Josh's idea, but it was one that Markus liked - a powerful display of nonviolence, on the heels of Norman's controversial press conference, that would prove that they were not there to fight but that they were not going to go away, either. He doesn't know why he didn't tell Norman about it until the last minute, until the crowd became too big to ignore. It wasn't as if he would have made a conflict of interest for the man anymore, Norman had clearly chosen his side.
Maybe it's because he didn't want him to be in danger.
There were a couple of androids he converted as he marched down the street, a crowd amassing behind him, who looked at their human with new eyes. There were a couple he didn't have to convert at all, who took their human by the hand and pulled them into the march as well. And when they raised their hands and advanced on the sole officer who tried to stop them, some androids held on tight to the hand of another. It was powerful, it was moving, and Markus for the first time saw that maybe Norman had been right after all. That at least some people had opened their eyes.
Then they reached the end of the street, where they now stand blocked off by the riot police with guns trained on them. Josh tugs on one sleeve, begs him not to fight. North tugs on the other, pleading with him to do something before they're all massacred. But Markus stands his ground. His feet planted and his head held high.]
We have the right to peaceful assembly, we've damaged no property and we come to cause no harm.
["Disperse, or we will shoot." Comes the cold, official reply. Markus knows that if they run, they only open themselves up to being shot in the back instead. He's reminded of what he said to Norman: Then I will have died knowing that one day my people will be able to live free.
He is ready for that. He only hopes that his calm can spread to his people as well.]
We are not going anywhere.
A few of the androids around Markus had murmured among themselves, asking each other if they were going crazy or if they'd met Norman before. The stress level in Jericho had ticked up a notch, Markus could feel it. A human had infiltrated Jericho, a human had been here, asking questions, looking around.
But the press conference had gone on and Norman had praised the androids for their peaceful resolve in the face of human negativity, had pointed out their nonviolence as a greater show of strength than a physical revolt could be. The press had eaten it up, cameras flashing and reporters clamoring, and it made Markus' thirium pump flutter at the same time that anxiety knotted cold in the pit of his stomach.
You're going to lose your job for this, he had messaged Norman, the message appearing as a text message on the man's phone. Only to be further put out by the reply of I just did.
It made sense, in some kind of way. There was only so much Norman could do to stay on the case without results; if he hadn't done something like this to try and sway the humans, it might have gone a different way. At least this way he made a statement. He made himself a face that humans who agreed with their cause could turn to.
Markus was still bitter enough not to think that anything would come of it. The march was Josh's idea, but it was one that Markus liked - a powerful display of nonviolence, on the heels of Norman's controversial press conference, that would prove that they were not there to fight but that they were not going to go away, either. He doesn't know why he didn't tell Norman about it until the last minute, until the crowd became too big to ignore. It wasn't as if he would have made a conflict of interest for the man anymore, Norman had clearly chosen his side.
Maybe it's because he didn't want him to be in danger.
There were a couple of androids he converted as he marched down the street, a crowd amassing behind him, who looked at their human with new eyes. There were a couple he didn't have to convert at all, who took their human by the hand and pulled them into the march as well. And when they raised their hands and advanced on the sole officer who tried to stop them, some androids held on tight to the hand of another. It was powerful, it was moving, and Markus for the first time saw that maybe Norman had been right after all. That at least some people had opened their eyes.
Then they reached the end of the street, where they now stand blocked off by the riot police with guns trained on them. Josh tugs on one sleeve, begs him not to fight. North tugs on the other, pleading with him to do something before they're all massacred. But Markus stands his ground. His feet planted and his head held high.]
We have the right to peaceful assembly, we've damaged no property and we come to cause no harm.
["Disperse, or we will shoot." Comes the cold, official reply. Markus knows that if they run, they only open themselves up to being shot in the back instead. He's reminded of what he said to Norman: Then I will have died knowing that one day my people will be able to live free.
He is ready for that. He only hopes that his calm can spread to his people as well.]
We are not going anywhere.
