Dontru's Mansion

A Skakdi grunt fires his rapid-shot Iron Launcher into the air. "Get outta here! He's not taking questions!"

Dontru walks out presently; the crowd erupts into violence against each other until the Skakdi fires again. Dontru climbs onto a converted RMS truck and looks at the crowd, smiling, waving, and throwing out red-painted Kanohi that say "MAKE ATERO GREAT AGAIN."

The Skakdi speaks up. "Mister Dontru will now take questions."

He nods to himself for a moment, then launches into a great speech, addressing the crowd:

"Atero Nui is far from great! After our miserable defense program failed to protect from a surprise Makuta attack -- thank you, Toa Cenisa, for not detecting that, and thanks to your whole team for privatizing our army -- we put ourselves in heavy debt to Xia, who practically spearheaded the attack on the Makuta embassy in our own city! We rely on a foreign power to protect our own civilians, and I think that's ridiculous, ladies and gentlemen. In order for people to feel safe at night, they've got to walk around with a weapon or get lucky and build their own war machines. I know some of you political people dislike privately-owned war machines. Now I'm going to address your next question --" the crowd exploded, demanding more input regarding the first question "-- I'm going to address your next question.

"How am I going to fix it? Simple. We're going to completely rethink our foreign policy. We're not going to tolerate Makuta military buildup, we're not going to let eight private citizens control our standing army, and we're not going to let Xia own the industrial market. Look at all of your tablets and vehicles and weapons. 'Made in Xia', all of them. Every last one of your products was made in Xia. When have you used a product made in Atero?" Dontru raises a red Kanohi. "This. This mask is 100% made in Atero, from the Protodermis collection to the forging. And we're going to do that with all our products. We have resources, we have working people. We're not going to rely on Xia for aid -- heck, just a few months ago, we turned to the Brotherhood of Makuta for aid. That's right, the Brotherhood of Makuta, and to add insult to injury: their 'RMS'. Their violent, anti-Toa murder-squads were the ones handing us our resources like they were charity. That's unacceptable." Some elements of the crowd approve.

"That brings me to my next point: The Skakdi. Skakdi are hard-working, industrious people; I love Skakdi, and I employ many Skakdi right here at my home," Dontru gestures to some of his bodyguards. "However, I will not tolerate Skakdi attempting to enter our country illegally or violently. We saw that a month or two ago, as well -- again, the Brotherhood of Makuta were the ones who saved us there -- the, the Skakdi attacked our walls, entered our city and looted our homes. That's going to stop. I am going to reinforce Atero Nui's wall, and I'm going to make Inharax pay for it."

"We still needed their help! Figuratively, we owe them, and they expect us to return the favor! This is an issue that needs to be addressed -- Atero needs to become self-sufficient!" Dontru begins a tirade about sufficiency and how easy it was to make his own corporations self-sufficient. He seems to have forgotten, ignored, or never heard the rest of Basur's statements.

Basur cranks his megaphone up to "Causes ringing in the ears from three feet away", and yells at Dontru
"WHAT ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE THREATENED WITH AN IRON-SLUGGER?!"

Basur "forgets" to turn his megaphone down and continues.
"We didn't provoke him!"
Basur storms off, tossing one of the red Kanohi past Dontru.

Gracchus joins the crowd. "See! See how our representatives hide behind thugs? This is no way for a true ruler of the people to behave!"

OOC: You're welcome

A Steltian noble wearing blue and silver armor and riding a Kahu observes the rally silently. Of course, his silence does nothing to keep people's attention away from him, as a massive gladiator-class Steltian is guarding him. Said Gladiator-Steltian is in turn being followed by an energy hound.
"Viktak, how do you think this will work out? A dictatorship? Or will these matoran truly be benevolent rulers?"
The massive gladiator - Viktak, presumably - grunts.
"I wouldn't know. You're supposed to be the political one, anyway."
The Steltian noble sighs.
"I was trying to make conversation, Viktak, not get your advice."
Viktak stumbles over his words.
"Well, I suppose the Fe-- uh, Dontru -- wou- well, unless he's ly-"
"...Oh, stop making a fool of yourself."
"...As you wish, sir."