[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/zz7f64r.png[/img][/center] --- [b]Time: Evening - 7:00 PM Location: Las Vegas, Nevada[/b] Although the sudden disappearance of the Ambassador (and Bach, she supposed) had almost given Mandate a heart attack in her nonexistent vascular system, she was relatively easy to calm once the two of them had returned unharmed and in possession of new treasures. Her inability to stay with the Ambassador at all times was... Beyond frustrating, but nothing bad had come of it. She would just have to try harder next time, somehow. On the other hand, the box was a fun little curiosity on its own. The golem had no expertise with magic, nor any great skill with puzzles, but she nevertheless offered her eager input on the subject. She was more full of anecdotes than anything really useful, probably, but it was the thought that counted! Suddenly, noise from the TV grabbed at Mandate's attention. Tilting her head, the golem focused upon the screen, shifting about in her seated position as the program she had been not-quite-watching became some strange man and his equally strange declarations. [i]-freaks in capes, mages and monsters-[/i] Metahumans? Mages, monsters... Some sort of person who thought those things were bad, she was certain. She personally had no problem with monsters, and mages were quite nice as long as they were Miss Ambassador, but everyone was welcome to a silly opinion! [i]-For the most part, the people have accepted the rule of gods amongst us, at the detriment of humankind-[/i] As they should, Mandate was certain. Wasn't that how things seemed to function? It was the idea of the monopoly of force, and the greatest force clearly held the greatest authority. Mandate considered herself as belonging only to Miss Ambassador, because no country held the power to rule her from afar, and the Ambassador was her friend. That was simply how it was. If plain humans submitted to the godly force around them, that just expedited the natural end of things, didn't it? Perhaps, Mandate mused, she just didn't understand the needs of fleshy people. What did they matter to her, though? The broadcast only became more amusing as it continued. She didn't know what STRIKE was, beyond what mister Bach shared of them, but it sounded as if they had sabotaged themselves in some way, if that group was meant to act against the same 'threats' (proper powers) that they did. Wasn't it a common saying, that the enemy of your enemy is your friend? Perhaps the enemy of your enemy was another enemy. [color=LightPink]"I didn't know genocide was still popular."[/color] she murmured curiously as she hefted herself off of the ground, her smile never leaving her face. It was all so silly, this deliberate commotion; it was clear that the Hounds of Humanity longed for a spectacle. They created a grand display of themselves, striking against anyone and everyone, and then they plastered their faces boldly on every screen. Perhaps it was a ploy, or maybe it was simple arrogance, but that they even gave such a warning spoke for itself. She sincerely doubted that they had the power to enforce their declaration of 'intolerance'. Their actions spoke of great power and connections, from the broadcast to their supposed simultaneous strikes, but it was meaningless. All the manpower in the world wouldn't do much to some forces, such as herself. Mandate didn't understand much of metahumans and mages, but she understood that both could come from either birth or random events in the lives of soft, fleshy humans that used to be ordinary people. Magic was not just some genetic trait that could be wiped away, it was a persistent force. Similarly, metahumans were not even a singular species, as far as the golem knew. They came from a thousand -a million- different walks of lives and unpredictable events. There would always be metahumans in the human population, unless the human population was inherently changed. Mandate paused, her thoughts swirling in her head. Concerned whispers, and a glance of her singular eye towards the Ambassador as she consulted with some sprites that had entered the room. [color=LightPink]"Could they do such a thing?"[/color] she wondered idly, her hand rising to brush at where a jaw would be in a human being. Certain methods had apparently proven themselves capable of creating metahumans, but the golem wasn't sure it would be able to do the same thing in reverse. Perhaps their goal was to lure metahumans into an ambush with such technology? To present a great and glowing target, and then crush their opposition with something unexpected, seemingly impossible? Powerless and death. It didn't seem very likely, but Mandate placed it on her mental list of possible events nevertheless. [color=LightPink]"Or maybe... They're liars."[/color] Perhaps it was a ploy to lure in all the magnificently weird things in the world and learn from them? The level of coordination that the Hounds had shown was uncanny, and their ability to co-opt technology was seemingly impossible. Maybe it was the work of some determined metahumans, performing... Her mind supplied the words- 'false flag' operations. This was clearly a series of events that would rile up the populace, but what side the common fleshy being fell upon was up in the air; Mandate had no particular care for the opinions of the masses, and so she had never bothered to learn them. Still, did you aid the metahumans who attempt to help you in your tiny lives, or the men who attacked your masters and made you more vulnerable? If they acted any more extremely, perhaps the populace would side with metahumans on the matter. That did not, however, explain the involvement of mages and other magical beings. How did they intend to isolate the fey from the world? And what of the spirits of the dead of the past, and the likes of [i]stupid vampires[/i] and werewolves? None of it made any sense to her, but that quickly became irrelevant. Similarly, the events became less and less amusing and intriguing to the golem. Her smile had become a sad reversal as she studied the Ambassador's reaction to the sight of the Stix. With the smoke filling the air and the flames flickering pitifully and hypnotically, it formed an interesting portrait of her human companion's features. She was such a controlled human, it was very admirable, but her emotions were clear. Mandate's fists clenched. The hypothetical considerations were all well and good, and the golem would continue to ponder them as the night progressed, but what truly mattered to her was that the Ambassador was upset. The events had shocked the human, and clearly provoked a certain need for vengeance, and that was enough for the golem's anger to solidify by proxy. Whatever their motivations and their intentions, Mandate would hurt them for upsetting Miss Ambassador. No, She'd [i]kill[/i] them. She stood beside the Ambassador as her declaration was made to the world. [color=LightPink][i]At least Miss Ambassador will be more popular after this.[/i][/color]