Res Publica Chronicles/Trampled Lily

Dear Mama and Papa,
I’m afraid this is the last you will ever hear of me, if I’m even lucky enough for this to reach you. Six days ago, I and all but one of the members of the student council stormed out on the Usurper, Caroline Danton. Mama and Papa, I am afraid I, and half of my fleeing friends, were captured yesterday by Danton’s troops. Fellow university students put a bag over my head, kicked me and punched me. Spat on my face and called me a traitor. One of them destroyed my knee with the butt of their rifle. I don’t know where I am, but the ground is cold. There is nothing but my thoughts to keep me company in these last hours. In this solitary silence I’ve done a lot of thinking about everything that has happened these past few months, my role in it and the regrets I have. 
It is not right to say that Danton manipulated us completely, by the time she rolled around we were exhausted. Everything we were trying had failed. Too many of us were swept up in the rhetoric she espoused in our meetings. Surely, she said, all we needed was a show of strength. After that, the Government would have to listen to us. She coddled us, cajoled us. Yes, she said, you’ve done admirably. Your demonstrations are powerful, but they’re shallowed; easily ignored. Strength, power, action. Those were her words, and we lapped them up. None of us knew about her later plans, the death and destruction that occurred later after she could begin her own personal rebellion.
Mother. Father. I watched as a small sun erupted in our skies – the downing of the Mehmet was our end. That burning ship is signed singed into my eyes. The terrible noise it made as it crumpled to the earth, fills my dreams. The words I read of a massacre swim in my brain. No matter what we did, we all had signed our death warrant. That was the end for us students. We had to get out, we had been betrayed by those who had manipulated our hope for a better world, a better humanity. 
Shortly after, us students on the council met in secret, and we agonised over whether we could support what she was doing. As she consolidated the power we blindly gave her, our decision became clear: we could not sit idly by and watch as she corrupted everything we stood for when we began this process almost three months ago. Open rebellion? Armed struggle? I have never wanted these things. All I have ever desired is the ability to live as freely and openly as anyone. My passions, my desires, my cravings, I all wished to pursue in an open fashion. I did not want to live under the boot of oppression, of political elites who desired nothing but power. We survived this War untouched, our world, our home, never faced the Covenant. We are unscarred. 
God has given us a great gift, He wants us to do good. To help others, to follow in the example of our brothers and sisters in New Canada. They peacefully brought down their regime, and are now building themselves a better world. I wanted this for Kafka, I wanted this for humanity. My – Our intentions were good. The best, in fact. I need you to believe me when I say that. 
I’m sorry I have caused you pain, I’m sorry that the United Rebel Front are here. I go to my death full of regrets and sorrow. I beg of you, do not forget me. Do not forget my brothers and sisters.
Pray for me 
Please forgive me.
Your loving and devoted son,
Daniel.
“I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.” - Psalm 6:6-7