A Battle Unseen

[Dredd]

[Legionaria, Sladek Square, May 29th 5637]

Lazar read over his written speech he'd practiced in front of the mirror and recited a dozen times before he knew he'd deliver it to the crowd of 80,000 who'd gathered, and the millions of more who'd hear it on the radios.

"My comrades of the Legionary state, we are at an unpredicted time in our history, for many years we have struggled, starved, fought and died for our sovereign state which is now under assault by the perfidious nations of the world. When our eternal comrade Sladek who came and rose from nothing gave his life for the cause of Kundrati freedom, he died knowing we would carry on his eternal message and truth for us, for you, the new Kundrati man, that we would defy the world and strike out for ourselves a nation which would span the ages and surpass the annals of time of eternity! But alas, the world in all it satantic might, for all its perfidious and ill begotten gains wishes to place us under the bootheel of degenerate domination, to defile your children and families comes to our shores reaping death and despair in its wake, how shall we defy this foe!?"

The crowd cheers, chanting "To the death for the Legion!" with thunderous applause and cheers

"Shall we defy this foe, knowing full well that glorious death or victory waits us!?"

The crowd cheered, "Yes!!"

"Shall we, for total war, honoring our ancestors and those who died for our freedom, fight to secure a future for our people and fatherland!?"

The crowd cheered, "Yes!" In thunderous applause

"Then comrades, let us rise from the ashes of destruction and death, go forward for our fatherland, and let forth the storm to break loose!"

The crowd standing and applauding vigorously cheered, "Yes, total war!!"

The loudspeakers began glaring the national anthem as the 80,000 crowd began singing in hymn with the song, the broadcast going to millions around the country in the hope patriots everywhere would know the time for resistience and sacrifice had come, that the evil coalition on their shores would be repelled, and if they failed naught but a desolate waste would await them for their crimes, that a fatherland of the faithful would give them no rest nor reprieve, Sladek had forged this nation through iron will, Kundrati and the Legion would stand through death or dishonor.

Lazar grinned, saluted, and turned face as he walked down the stairs to the presidential palace, to speak to his generals and ensure the national propaganda would continue to be beaten into the hearts and minds of millions to fight to the death.