CITY ADMINISTRATOR Hiroto Koyama, City Eight - "The Neophyte"

[Stinky Rags]

"The Union offer us a grand destiny; through our blood and sweat, we shall forge mankind's legacy into the stars themselves. Do not falter now, for humanity has no need for the weak."
-Administrator Hiroto Koyama, 2018
(Formerly Aoba-009)


At a first glance, Hiroto Koyama appears to be the very stereotype of a salaryman. A boring black suit and a boring black-tie; perfectly polished black shoes and a pristinely pressed white shirt, he stands almost as a distant observer to the great events that surround him. In a room with other men of politics, he appeared almost like the secretary-- smaller of stature, quiet even, with only his rounded glasses before anything of immediate note. What makes him stand out after proper consideration of the man is his expression, and especially his eyes; a look of sheer and extreme discipline, and eyes as calculating as a reptile. Koyama is most likely to gaze upon you like a king looking upon his subjects, or perhaps a lion upon a sheep. Many of those 'close' to Hiroto warn that everything spoken in his presence is remembered, and it's nearly impossible to sway his mind once it's made up. The only thing the man respects, it seems, is competency and subservience... there isn't anyone else that can truly get close to him.
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Born in 1980 to a sufficiently large family, though being the eldest, Hiroto was taught discipline at a very young age. His grandfather, whom he was very close to, was a former Rikugun-Tai-i, or Captain, in the Imperial Japanese army. The bond between the eldest of his grandchildren and the former soldier was strong, and the old man imparted a lot of the young Koyama's future stances on a great many things in his life, both before the arrival of the Combine, and after. Perhaps one of the reasons Koyama turned out as he did was because of his father; or rather a lack of a strong father figure from the man... unlike his grandfather, Hiroto's sire was a drunk, and relied on Hiroto's mother to provide for the family, which was usually down out of own father's money, the grandfather that Hiroto looked up to so dearly. Ultimately, Hiroto's father died early into the man's teens, and his grandfather thus took a far larger role in cultivating the boy into a man of honour and integrity, like the country once resembled in older days. Because of this harsh, but beloved upbringing, Hiroto was harsh in turn to his younger siblings, boy or girl, and often cited being disappointed in things that were simply child's play; it was an often occurrence that his siblings would come to their shared mother crying because of harsh words or honest words, as the perpetrator would insist, which began to cause a rift between Hiroto and the rest of his family-- even if he only had their best interests at heart. By the early nineties, Hiroto had climbed the ranks of the police force in the city he lived in-- Sendai, Miyagi prefecture. He settled into the rank of inspector, and it was often his duty to keep an eye on new recruits to the force while also conducting investigations and detective work... it was perfect for him in truth, though he was an extremely harsh boss, and up until his departure from the force following the Combine's arrival, he never once told the men under him that he was proud of them; while this was something that persisted into his later career under Combine rule, he did deeply regret never stating his pride for his competent team, of which he genuinely had.


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A man possessing an iron will and honour just as strong, Koyama took to power of City Eight following a bloody struggle between him and his supporters and the previous administration that oversaw 'New Haven'. Unlike most bachelors to the throne of Administrator, who had either a league of experience in the political spectrum, were scientific peers to the Administrator of Earth or were cultivated for the role in the ECHELON program, Hiroto Koyama ascended to the position through his connections made under the arm of Civil Protection. From the lowly, nameless rank of recruit, the former Inspector of the city of Sendai, Miyagi prefecture crawled through the ranks, surpassing Rank-Leader, Captain and eventually attaining the prestigious rank of Overseer, of which only a few were given such an honour in the Combine Empire. It was a miracle to even survive long enough to earn the rank, let alone be competent enough for the appointment, but Hiroto Koyama showed an unparalleled loyalty to the Combine cause, even so far as to advocate Transhumanism to those that were in the know to discuss it, though his reasoning for being so blindly loyal to the regime are still a mystery.

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Civil Protection Functionary Hiroto Koyama (Right, sprinting) during a round-up of fleeing
former Japanese citizens in early occupation (c. 2001-2002)

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His tenure as Overseer wasn't as long as others, but during his time at the station he saw first-hand the great pitfalls that the city was succumbing to due to the current city government; not only was the question of the ongoing risk of pollution beginning to worry high tier loyalists and members of importance in the Empire but so too were the growing wild state of the outside of the city; the Outlands, and the numerous pockets of resistance that infested the sewers and the 'free' wilds beyond New Haven's borders. Even years after the Combine occupation, there were still many former Japanese citizens that had yet to be caught and assimilated, or removed, from the Combine's attention, and it was growing to become a political disaster for the then incumbent City Administrator, Kazuo Yoshida. Yoshida was an administrator that reflected much of what the city appeared to be to the blind, regular citizen; where the citizen was a remarkable location of innovation, technology and peace... a haven, so too was the administrator relaxed, casual and overly inclined to the commerce - reflective of Japan's prior capitalist-laden past. It was common for citizens to be granted additional time away from work obligations, and were often provided with a plethora of entertainment that was beyond most, if not all other cities' ability, or desire, to produce for their own citizenry. While it did support a more complacent workforce, and all did indeed work towards a more cooperative future, it was still a noticeable difference to other city powerhouses that produced far more in terms of industry... and it certainly was not the most idyllic location for a hub of loyalism, being very much against the face of the Combine in most other locations.

Koyama was a predominantly despised face in the administration to all except those who shared his ideals, where in a place like New Haven, were on the slimmer side. Hiroto was the embodiment of not only Japan's past prior to the extreme Americanisation the country overtook following the great war, but also represented what the Combine would soon turn the world into-- Japan into, a third incarnation of the country that once stood noble and unopposed. Where the suits of the Administration gathered around tables in fine attire and faces that hadn't known stress or conflict, Koyama stood with a face like steel... not one to mix words, but certainly clever enough to hold his tongue when it was necessary, he was perceived as a dragon amongst rabbits, but such was never dared mentioned in the presence of the political elite. He championed the cause for Civil Protection well, and secured plenty of additional benefits for the force, and far better equipment as well, to reflect the technologically advanced urban centre... his time as a unit and his budding political career garnered him the loyalty and support of the Civil Protection force in almost its entirety, which made his future claim for power even more convincing to the benefactors.

It was during Koyama's tenure as Overseer that an investigation was opened, covertly, by the unit. Captured resistance operatives, under great duress, had revealed that Yoshida had greatly relaxed operations into outland wherever possible, and even Overwatch deployments were subtly discouraged. This had been done as during the Combine's liberation of the city, amongst many others, Yoshida's extended family fled the city to live out their lives away from the otherworldly alien's treachery. Yoshida used his position of power to belay the Combine's encroachment of their home, which had become a resistance base and supplied them with information to keep them safe. Though the evidence was useful, Koyama required something concrete, and it was on one fateful day that the full might of the Combine was brought to bear on that specific base, with the City Administrator being carefully ignorant of the operation, and the Administrator's family was brought within the Nexus, deep in the heart of City Eight.

What transpired next has been expunged from most information databases, what is known however is that the previous administrator was never seen again, and the overseer that had entered the office left it with an entirely new station, as did many of the high ranking Civil Protection officers that were present with him. Apparently, Koyama's gamble worked, and the forces that be sought fit to lend the Overwatch delegates aid to the overseer of the Combine, rather than the former Administrator, and a new reign over the city thus began.

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"Citizens of City Eight. My name is Hiroto Koyama; the newly incumbent City Administrator. I shall not proffer lies, neither shall I implore the false peddling of degeneration that my predecessor was overly fond of. Yoshida-san was a man of earthly pleasure; he did not know the work and efforts that are necessary to run this strong and remarkable city. While you toiled, he leisured; while your protectors guard your streets, he did not so much as raise a hand of gratitude to them. I will make it clear that co-operation within our city is the only way we shall attain the future for ourselves that our benefactors wish to offer us. I will not suffer incompetency in our number, neither shall I suffer fools; of which I shall assure you none will exist within my government.

New Haven shall continue to be a city of honour; one that other cities will look upon and toil to emulate. We have toiled, citizens, and toil we must continue if we are to reap the benefits of unification. Tomorrow is a new day, I ask that you look upon it with the vigour of those that came before us-- and honour their sacrifices that brought us here, to the arms of our Union. Those who act with excellency shall be rewarded."​

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For the previous political supporters of the now-deceased City Administrator, the speech by Koyama came as a warning; tow the line, obey and serve, or die just as their leader had. To his supporters, the boots on the ground and the workers union that worked closely beside them, it was an invigorating speech that promised rewards for their continued loyalty to not only the Combine but to the administrator himself; after all, competency was indeed rewarded. In the coming years, New Haven flourished under Koyama's administration; businesses were pristinely kept, modernised to reflect the rest of the city, as well as industrial output, becoming more and more efficient in the eyes of the benefactors. It appears their gamble in the former Overseer was one that paid off. Even to this day, many citizens clamber to make it to the shining city, to explore the technological marvels that Koyama's administration has become famous for... but even so, those that climb the rungs of the ladder can peer through the marvels and the lifestyle that been carefully created to ensure productivity and loyalty. As past the more refined entertainment, the bustling businesses and safe streets, and past the smartly dressed ministers and overwatch delegates, lay a dragon in its den... one smaller of stature, and almost hard to recognise as a man of authority, but many had made such mistakes in the past, to underestimate the former Overseer... and none have yet to live to regret their ignorance.

 

[Kappatalist]

There is a bomb in your dropship.

 

[IDKanymoregaming]

-1 (no civil protection funkopop lore)
amendment:
+1 allowed me to create civil protection funkopop lore