Abruptly-Announced Ceremony at Empire's Military Headquarters After over two weeks of unexpected closure, the Empire's center of military affairs, the Byzantine, will reopen to the public this afternoon following a formal ceremony. The ceremony, itself, will be open to all citizens, with exception given to advena with verifiable press credentials. ((This minivent will take place on the Atlas Empire Discord around 3-4P EST. Nothing major planned, this is a formality to establish/codify certain aspects of the Empire's military. A review of what transpires will likely be posted as a follow-up in this thread))
The courtyard sits at capacity, with the rank and file of the Atlas Defense Force standing at attention. Were it not for the swirl of citizens swarming the periphery, taking pictures and cavorting, the silence would have yielded only to the rippling of banners above. Beyond the perimeter, stood the legions of battle drones and military-reserved VTOL craft, all in neat, precise arrangement around the Byzantine. From above, it forms the angular crest of the Atlas Empire. Far, far above this display, the vague silhouettes of cruisers can be made out in spite of the afternoon light refracting throughout the atmosphere. Atop the stairway leading into the building, itself, is a podium: loudspeakers surround the secured, stone stair landing. Despite the transparent material, the entire interior of the building appears dark. The doors open, as a man steps forward. He is adorned in flowing clothes, swirls of red and gold gilded throughout the ensemble: all of this is draped in a broad mantle, with a half-length cloak wistfully dancing in the afternoon breeze. In spite of this borderline-regal attire, he looks certainly more like a Machine passing for a Man, than the other way around. His gaunt face sporting a red eyepatch and decorated military cap, he steps forward to the podium. The courtyard falls silent, save for the rippling of the banners above. He speaks in a calm meter, but that does little to mitigate the power of every word booming through the speakers. "Soldiers. Officers. Citizens. Advena. Thank you all for coming here on such short notice, and your patience for this long-stayed silence from the military... So many Olympians have, for the first time in years, been able to connect with the rest of the galaxy. Cut off from the outer worlds for so long, the events that have come to light across the stars have been... sobering for some. Terrifying for others. Powers have risen and fallen. The Ruin has regained momentum. At a glance, the galaxy appears to be in a chaotic flux that surpasses understanding. Olympus and her People whisper, calling for answers. Calling for a plan. Calling for reassurance that their survival through the Federation's darkest hour was not in vain... And to that end, effective immediately, by authority of the Emperor, we officially charter the Atlas Armed Forces, under which two new branches will bolster the logistically-strained Defense Force: the Expansion Corps, and the Civilian Enforcement Militia. As a result of this expansion and restructuring of our military forces, I will be relinquishing my acting role as General of the Atlas Defense Force, and will hereby assume the title of Praetor. I will oversee and enact long-term strategies and policies both here and abroad, leaving the responsibility of day to day affairs to those who have proven their efficacy and dedication to the Empire. We have, under our banner, the most capable hands from across the galaxy. We will grow, and reclaim the safety you all once knew." He removes the patch, revealing his heavily augmented optic, leaving certain citizens uneasy, others (younger ones) in awe. "We will continue to rebuild. We will continue to adapt. We will continue the dream of Atlas and her People. We will march into the future, heads high and feet firmly planted. We will never leave you behind. We will never. Fall. AGAIN." As may have been expected for the ending of a speech, the towering building behind him lit up, streams of white and red fill the rooms as appropriately-themed fireworks streak into the sky above. The soldiers of the rank and file cheer; the citizenry present a predominantly positive reaction.
