Polcompball: Nexus/Old Chapter 3: Diligence

Inner Circle Group

 * [[File:Anrad.png]] Anti-Radicalism
 * [[File:Apolit.png]] Apoliticism
 * [[File:Horshu.png]] Horseshoe Centrism
 * [[File:Lib.png]] Liberalism
 * [[File:Neoliberal-icon.png]] Neoliberalism
 * [[File:Radlib.png]] Radicalism
 * [[File:Relreject.png]] Religious Rejectionism
 * [[File:Statlib.png]] State Liberalism
 * [[File:Veganapolit.png]] Vegan Apoliticism

The Leading Council

 * [[File:Councom.png]] Council Communism
 * [[File:Gryog.png]] Grogynism
 * [[File:Guildsoc.png]] Guild Socialism
 * [[File:LeftCom.png]] Left Communism
 * [[File:Luxem.png]] Luxemburgism
 * [[File:Ormarxf.png]] Marxism
 * [[File:Soc.png]] Socialism

The Workers' Council

 * [[File:Acidcomf.png]] Acid Communism
 * [[File:Bernst.png]] Bernsteinism
 * [[File:Biosoc.png]] Biosocialism
 * [[File:Circulus.png]] Circulus Theory
 * [[File:Clif.png]] Cliffism
 * [[File:Consocf.png]] Conservative Socialism
 * [[File:Dsa.png]] Democratic Socialism
 * [[File:Earthcom.png]] Earthling Communism
 * [[File:Eurocom.png]] Eurocommunism
 * [[File:Exped.png]] Expeditism
 * [[File:Ghir.png]] Ghiraldellism
 * [[File:JapCom.png]] Japanese Communism
 * [[File:Leftnat.png]] Left-Wing Nationalism
 * [[File:Leftpop-0.png]] Left-Wing Populism
 * [[File:Marketsoc.png]] Market Socialism
 * [[File:Marxfem.png]] Marxist Feminism
 * [[File:Soctrans.png]] Socialist Transhumanism
 * [[File:Synd.png]] Syndicalism
 * [[File:Techsoc.png]] Techno-Socialism
 * [[File:Utsoc.png]] Utopian Socialism

The Outcasts

 * [[File:Leftlib.png]] Left Liberalism
 * [[File:Liberalsoc.png]] Liberal Socialism
 * [[File:Lula.png]] Lulism
 * [[File:Socdem.png]] Social Democracy

Engels General Hospital, Leftopia
( and burst through the hospital doors, carrying an unknown individual )

We need to get them to a doctor, fast!

Woah! What happened?

No clue. We found them in the fields, completely on fire.

Bring them to me.

( inspects the individual )

Hm... Seems to be more than just burns. Looks like they took some blunt trauma to the back.

What can you do to help them?

I'll see. For now just leave them with me.

...

Farmland, Unknown Location
Gah... I'm so tired...

Ugh... Where even are we?

(The centrists examine their surroundings)

Looks like a farm.

This is wheat.

Ew. I'm a celiac.

Just eat the bread. What difference does it make?

All I can see is just farmland for miles and miles...

And it's all wheat.

I've never seen this place before.

I have a sneaking suspicion we're in... Leftopia.

Farmland, Leftopia
Leftopia?! No fucking way! We're gonna get killed here!

Hey, who knows, maybe they're polite. They'll understand our situation.

You should be really worried, Lib. I hear the guys who live here loathe you just for existing.

I see the good in people. Leftists are all about collectivism, right? Why wouldn't they be compassionate?

Ugh, radicals.

Let's just keep moving. We'll hit Leftopia eventually.

(The group advances through the fields, mostly undetected. Until...)

Shit!

( motions the group to duck down)

Huh? What's going on?

There's someone right there!

( points to a wandering )

Yo... Dude... This hits different...

I-Is he high?

Looks like it.

I see no difference between hiding here and just passing by him. He's out of his mind.

Hey, you're starting to make sense! He's clearly not entirely sound right now.

We still need to be careful. There might be someone else nearby.

(The group tries to sneak around, but...)

Yo... What the fuck is that?

(Suddenly, appears from under the wheat)

Huh?

...

Looks like people.

Do we, like, stop them?

Nah... The guard bots will do the job.

Haha, yeah.

( lies down again, while continues wandering about)

Holy shit! Guard bots?!

You've got to be kidding me.

We're gonna die here.

There's no way these leftists have access to that technology.

... They do.

What do you mean?

I sold them the bots...

Oh no...

Oh my fucking GOD, Neolib! We're all gonna die, and it'll be your fault!

It doesn't make a difference. Our home is already destroyed. What's left to lose for us?

... He's right.

Huh?

Why even bother worrying about getting killed? We have nothing left...

You may have nothing left, but I still have things I care about!

Screw this.

( begins to run through the fields, separating himself from the group)

I like his idea!

( follows suit)

Are we really doing this?

We have no other choice.

(The rest of the group runs through the fields, beelining to the entrance of Leftopia)

There's the sign! We're near the entrance to the farm!

(Meanwhile...)

Hey, wait... Didn't you say those bots were busted?

Oh, yeah, haha. They haven't been operational in months.

Haha. Those guys must be scared shitless right now...

People's Barn, Leftopia
( and are working in the farm)

My back hurts so much...

Come on, Japcom. Our shift's almost over.

Okay...

( begins to hear noises and footsteps coming from outside)

Huh?

( sees the centrists fast approaching)

Woah! It's the centrists!

Really? What are they doing here?

Let's see.

(The centrists are outside, tired and panting)

Hey, fellas!

Gah!

What's wrong?

We just... ran through... that entire field...

Why?

Doesn't matter. We're here to seek refuge...

What happened?

The Congress... our home... It's gone.

(As the centrists explain what had transpired hours earlier...)

Engels General Hospital, Leftopia
Ah, I'm so glad you're here!

( are all standing around the individual 's hospital bed)

So? What's the deal?

This... person's body is not like ours.

What do you mean?

I mean, their entire biological structure is completely alien.

Alien?!

Well, they did find 'em in a small crater...

I was told this individual was found on fire, on their back.

So... They fell from space to Earth?

Sounds like it. I'm trying to use the database we got from the Technate, but it's slow at picking up what exactly this individual is.

As the leader of the Council, I will take matters into my own hands here. Do not inspect them any further.

What?!

CouncilCom! Have you gone insane?!

Our doctor is clearly utterly insane, and you guys seem to believe his bullcrap. There's no way an alien just landed in our fields, straight from space, and only left a small crater.

But it's the only plausible explanation!

Unplug this thing from whatever tube you have it in. I'm going to take it to a real doctor.

I...

If you're not going to do it, then I'll do it myself.

( goes to unplug the creature from the Technate device...)

Alright, how do you operate this thing?

(Suddenly, the individual gets up)

What the-?!

(A tentacle sprouts from the individual, which grabs and slams him to the ground)

Ack!

What the hell?!

(As the individual slowly begins to sprout more and more tentacles, the device from the Technate begins to show its results...)

Name: Communalism. Appearance:. Description: Unknown creature from another dimension. After 1000 years of sleep, recently awakened. Highly dangerous. Avoid at all costs.

...

Unknown Location, Space
So? Do you have the signal?

Yes. It is tremendously strong.

Damn it... We have too many citizens down there.

This mission has massively backfired. Why did you have to bring him down?

He said he was gonna pay good money! It's not my fault my life was threatened!

Si gh.

People's Barn, Leftopia
Are you sure those things don't leave spores around or something? Will one of us turn into one?

I doubt it. We're perfectly fine.

There's literally no difference between those things and us anyways.

Please, please shut the fuck up.

I think the Council will be compassionate enough to let you guys stay here.

The Council?

Yup! They're our leaders, and make excellent decisions. I'm sure they'll let you in.

This doesn't sound promising...

We don't have any other options.

Guild Centre, Leftopia
( and bring the group to the main portion of Leftopia)

This place is nicer than I thought!

Of course. We share everything, so we have to make it look nice.

Well, not everyone likes to share.

( points towards )

Hey!

So how long are you going to stay here?

Honestly? Not a clue.

( notices a group of ideologies sleeping in an alleyway)

What's up with them?

Those are... ah...

The untouchables.

Looks like abandoning the Centrist Congress didn't treat them lightly...

( suddenly wakes up and notices them)

Huh...? Neolib? Radical?

Hey, bud....

Please... Get us out of here... We regret leaving the Congress...

Sorry to say, but there is no more Congress to return to.

Is this how we're going to end up?

I... can neither confirm nor deny...

God fucking damnit.

Speaking of, where is the Council? I called them earlier, they should be here.

(Suddenly, the group hears a window breaking in the hospital. Out of it comes a large tentacle and )

Help! Help!

Crud.

(The tentacle wraps around, but is cut clean in half with a sword by )

Gross.

Ack! Please help us! The entire Council is trapped in the hospital!

Well, shit.

(The group heads off to help, but is stopped by )

Please! Let us help you! We can prove ourselves by saving the Council!

Sigh... Alright.

Hey, you don't have the authority to decide that!

Just shut up and let us help you.

Hey, Libsoc... This is our chance.

I don't want to prove myself to the Council, I just want to leave this place...

What are we standing around for?! Let's just go in!

( try to enter the hospital, but the doors are locked)

The hell?!

Oh, I forgot to mention... The doors were locked by the Councillor...

Just kick it down!

(The group throws themselves at the door, but it won't budge)

This isn't working!

We should use that broken window.

I... wouldn't recommend that. That room is a mess...

I know of a secret entrance.

( takes the group to the back of the hospital)

Why did you bring us here?

There is no window in this frame.

( climbs through the window, which leads to a small room with cleaning supplies)

Why has no one ever told us about that?

We've told you multiple times! You've never listened to us!

And I thought we had a lot of in-fighting...

Engels General Hospital, Leftopia
(As the group enters the hospital, they hear screams coming from inside the building)

Those screams...

Let's keep moving.

( opens the door to the room, and everyone pours out into the hospital hallways)

...

(There is blood all over the walls, the floor tiles are broken and the only light source is emergency lights, half of which are broken)

Holy shit...

I don't like this...

(Suddenly, from the corner of a hallway, they see a severely damaged desperately running away from something)

Help! Help us!

(A tentacle creeps up from the hallway, which stabs through )

Ack!

We need to move! Now!

(As the group runs away from the tentacle, trips over a broken tile)

Gah!

Vegan!

( stops running to help, but the tentacle is faster and stabs right through )

No...

Keep going!

(The group turns a corner as struggles to catch up to the rest. They try to enter many rooms in the hospital, but they are locked.  suddenly stops in front of a certain door)

This door is unlocked!

Open it!

( slams open the door, as everyone else desperately tries to get into the room. is the last to get in, as he narrowly avoids the tentacle. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the tentacle stab through, who was yelling at them for help.  slams the door closed)

Hah... We almost got killed back there...

Vegan is dead...

Where even are we right now?

Uh...

( points towards...)

My God...

(The room is completely covered in blood, with multiple organs on the floor, including pieces of 's body, as is sitting in a corner, shaking, missing an eye)

Jesus, man.

...

Are you okay? What happened?

...

We have to bring him along with us...

This skin... it belongs to the Councillor! The Councillor is dead!

Oh no... What will we do now?

Who cares about that? Let's help the people who are alive!

( and help  up)

This is a safe room. We need some people to stay here and others to go out and help everyone stuck in this hospital.

We need to go outside and call for help.

Who's gonna go out and who's gonna stay here?

I'm willing to go help the others.

(The group decides on staying behind with,  going further into the hospital to help the people trapped inside, and  going outside to call for help)

Alright, let's go.

Stay safe out there.

( are the first to go out, as they slowly walk towards a nearby window. tries to open it, but...)

Damnit! It's jammed!

Can't we break it?

The Councillor made the windows intentionally hard to break. They won't budge, you'll only end up hurting yourself.

We need to go back the way we came.

(While sneaking around the hallway, notices the bodies of  and  are missing. He decides not to bring it up, as to not make much noise)

...

(They manage to reach the room they came from, and rush towards the open window. Meanwhile, begin to exit the room, and they head towards the other direction.  notices that 's body is missing. He assumes that  somehow survived and escaped. They continue onward, and find  on the floor, severely hurt and bleeding out)

Christ...

Ugh...

Let's help her up.

( and bring up, carrying her along with them)

What happened?

The tentacles... The person we brought in... Ugh...

She doesn't seem to be in a condition to talk. We can ask her questions later, we need to save everyone first.

(The group continues advancing through the hospital hallways, checking every door they come across. Eventually, finds a door that's unlocked and opens it)

Oh!

( and are in the room, with  dead and missing his lower half while  has major slash wounds)

Save us... Please...

I-Is he alive?

Probably... not...

( tries to carry along with him, leaving 's body behind)

This is a bloodbath...

We're facing a far bigger threat than what we saw at the Congress...

(Meanwhile, are outside, having rallied up most of the town  to help them, mostly armed)

Alright! Let's try to break down these doors!

(The crowd begins to slam against the door, eventually breaking it down)

Let's go save everyone!

(Suddenly, multiple tentacles rush towards the crowd)

Shit!

( shoots at the tentacles, "killing" some of them)

Bullets can hurt them!

(Those who are armed begin attacking the tentacles, while the unarmed  begin to build a barricade. Meanwhile...)

Ugh... Fuck...

( is dragging himself around the hallways, having been slashed multiple times and having parts of his skin completely ripped off. Suddenly, something catches his attention...)

What the hell?!



Sorry, Councillor. You weren't cooperating...

What?!

Ah, you see, the Communalist forces people to share everything! So, right now, we are sharing our life forces to the Communalist. Because I am part robot, all of my human life force has been taken away, to be consumed by the Communalist! Isn't it wonderful?

Goddamnit... This wasn't part of the deal.

You knew the risks.

(Suddenly, another tentacle sprouts from, stabbing through the brain)

...

(Meanwhile, are trying to find the last remaining survivors)

So where did you say they were?

I saw them running... towards the entrance... Gah...

Hey, look out!

(Another tentacle comes rushing in, but is sliced in half by before it can attack anyone)

Wow, you're really good with that!

Thanks.

(Meanwhile, at the entrance...)

How many damn tentacles does this thing have?!

Crap, I'm out of ammo!

(While reloading, is suddenly grabbed by a tentacle and whiplashed towards the source of the tentacles)

Ghira! No!

No time to mourn! Keep that barricade steady!

(Some of the tentacles are smashing the barricade, and it begins to falter. One of the tentacles breaks through and slashes, before being shot back by )

Shit! That really did a number on me...

You'll be fine, Horseshoe! Just hang in there!

( carries away from the barricade, as everyone else slowly starts to run out of ammo)

I'm out.

Same here.

We're gonna need people to go out and get more ammo!

Uh... Miss? This is all of our ammo.

Oh no...

(Another one of the tentacles manages to pass through the barricade, allowing enough room for multiple tentacles to seep through, one of which stabs and drags him back into the building)

No... Lulism...

The barricade is too weak!

I have something that can hold it together!

( brings out fresh feces from a bag)

What the fuck, man?!

Hear me out: if we let the feces stay there for long enough, they can weld the barricade together!

I... don't think that's how that works.

Well, we can try!

( begins spreading the feces all around the barricade. The tentacles begin to avoid those specific areas)

Well, it's not helping the barricade, but it seems to be doing something...

If we really want to go in there, we need to cover ourselves in feces!

That sounds like a terrible idea.

Do we have any other choice? We have almost no ammo left and the tentacles just keep coming!

Well, shit...

(Meanwhile, further in the hospital...)

I'm scared... They're taking too long...

Do you think they've abandoned us?

...

I wonder why he's not talking? Did those tentacles slash his vocal chords or something?

No...

Oh! You can talk?

I... don't want to...

It's fine. You've probably been through a lot.

We need to head out there and help! We can't just stay here and wait!

I don't think we can do that... Socialism's not in a particularly good state...

I'm fine... We can go...

Well, if he says it, let's go!

(Elsewhere, are getting closer and closer to the entrance, until...)

Wait, there's something in the distance!

(Further in the hallway, the group spots, carrying a damaged )

It's survivors!

They seem to be mostly unharmed...

( and run up to help )

Thanks. I can't believe we're actually getting saved.

Wait... it's the Centrists! Why are you here?

Long story. We'll explain once we're out of this mess.

Hey, do you guys hear something?

There's... a weird sound coming from around that corner...

It's where we need to go.

(The group slowly advances through the last corner before the entrance)

...



What the fuck?!

The Councillor!

Ah, I see you've found us! The Communalist is currently attacking all your friends, and succeeding! Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can surrender your life to The Communalist, along with all of your possessions, or, you can try to fight for your lives, fail, and become a part of The Communalist anyways! Your choice.

We're fucked! We are absolutely fucked!

Come on... We can fight this thing!

I... don't think that's possible...

Let's fight this thing to the bitter end. I don't care what will happen to us after we're dead.

(Before the group can get a head start on the attack, generates a new tentacle and instantly attacks the group, barely missing )

Ack!

(Suddenly, someone throws a lump of feces at, who recoils in disgust)

What the-?!

(The group looks further down the hallway to see, covered in feces, and carrying . They continue to throw lumps of fecal matter at  and its tentacles)

Hey! We're back!

And we brought some help.

Quick! Come over to our side!

(As continues to recoil,  manage to get to the other side)

This is ridiculous! You won't get away with this!

Oh, we will!

( help cover the rest in feces so they're not attacked, as they begin to retreat to the entrance)

Wait! We forgot about Radicalism and the rest!

(Just after finishes his sentence,  come running down the hallway, carrying )

Hey! Wait up!

(While they rush towards the rest, one of 's tentacles suddenly rushes towards, aiming straight for his other eye)

No!

( jumps in front of and is stabbed straight through the chest by the tentacle, as the rest run around him and towards the group on the other side)

Libsoc!

No time for tearful goodbyes. Keep moving.

( get to the other side, and everyone rushes back into the entrance, locking the door leading to the hallways behind them)

Hah... Holy shit...

We made it...

But at what cost?

No time for chit-chat, let's get out of this damn hospital.

Guild Centre, Leftopia
We made it out...

That was a traumatic experience... I never want to live through that again.

That thing is still in there.

We're going to need to call up the Technate to help us with this. Their machine correctly identified whatever it was.

Libsoc is dead...

Be thankful you're even alive!

So... What are we going to do now? We can't keep living here, always near THAT.

We need to move elsewhere.

Where?

Far, far away from that thing, I hope.

I know a place.

Huh?

The Distributists. They live far, far away from this nightmarish area. We're gonna need vehicles to get there, though, we can't walk the entire journey.

We can use the Councillor's trucks. He doesn't have a need for them anymore, it seems...

Well, what are waiting for? Let's go! We don't know when "The Communalist" might break its containment!

Alright, everyone, follow me. I know where the Councillor kept his trucks.

(While everyone follows, and  stay at the back of the pack)

Why did it all have to go so wrong?

Tell me about it. At least we're still alive.

I don't want to live anymore... Not after that.

Oh, come on now. You don't want to die, and I know it. Let's keep the memory of the dead going by continuing to live, eh?

Fine.

...

(In the distance, as everyone is grabbing supplies to put in the trucks, two mysterious figures watch...)

What a shame, what a shame...

Oh, come on now. They've been through a lot, why sabotage them now?

They need to learn a lesson about the kind of people they choose to associate with. Why would they ever help the centrists, especially someone like Neoliberalism?

Because they're being nice people, helping others in their time of need?

Oh, Eco, my boy... You're very naive.

Not my fault I have more faith in people.

(Meanwhile...)

Yo, did something happen today? Why's everyone just heading off?

Probably some sort of disastrous event where multiple people died and the area was so badly damaged that nobody could ever return to or live near that area anymore.

What a very specific guess.

Haha, I'm just bullshiting, I have no idea what happened. We probably need to go over there, don't want to get abandoned...

Haha, yeah. Hope Mr. Councillor left some krokodil in those trucks.

CHAPTER 3 END