Marcelo sat at his desk, fidgeting with his pen. As was customary on the last Friday of every month, he had been meeting with each of the Ministers, to be briefed on the current goings on in Government. It was now Foreign Affair’s turn… but he was late, as was usual. Then, a pair of footsteps down the hall, and a frantic fiddling with the doorknob.
“Marcelo! Sorry I’m late. I had some last minute messages to send, I hope I didn’t leave you waiting too long.”
“It’s not an issue, Márcio,” The Prime Minister said, putting down the pen. “At this point, I’d be surprised if you got here on time.”
The large Ursine sat down, giving a nervous smile. “Well, I-”
“I assure you he had good reason this time,” Said the Minister of National Defence, stepping into the room from behind Márcio. “The Minister and I have been… discussing the state of the region. And we thought you’d like to hear what we think.”
The Prime Minister leaned forward in his chair. “I assume these are not good news.”
“Yes… and no.” The Minister of Defence said.
“Well, for starters, Jiduan has reached out,” Márcio butted in, adjusting his wireframe glasses. “They believe that forging closer bonds with us will prove fruitful for both our states. And Garcia suggested we could extend the offer of military cooperation.”
“However, any sort of move like this might attract the wrong kind of International attention,” Said Garcia, resting her hands of the Prime Minister’s desk. “Fortuna might see us cooperating as a threat.”
The Prime Minister leaned back on his chair. “So what you’re saying is… we need some sort of assurance that we are not to be trifled with.”
“Correct,” Márcio said. “Garcia and I suggest… a deterrent.”
The Prime Minister furrowed his brow, weighing his options. “A deterrent? It sounds aggressive. Are we prepared to escalate tensions in the region?”
Garcia crossed her arms, leaning slightly closer. “Deterrence doesn’t have to be about aggression. It’s about stability. If we show strength, it signals to potential aggressors that we’re not an easy target.”
“True, but we also risk alienating Jiduan,” Marcelo replied, his voice cautious. “They’re reaching out for cooperation. We don’t want to push them away before we even start.”
Márcio nodded. “I understand your reservations, but consider this: If we don’t act decisively, we risk leaving both us and Jiduan vulnerable. Either Fortuna or Packilvania could see an opportunity to expand their control in the region.”
“But how do we strike that balance?” Marcelo asked, glancing between them. “I don’t want us to appear as warmongers to the Jiduani.”
Garcia stood up straight. “We can implement a deterrent strategy that emphasises defensive measures. A few joint military exercises with Jiduan, a limited deployment of assets along the border, perhaps even intelligence sharing. It demonstrates our commitment to mutual security without coming off as overtly aggressive.”
Márcio chimed in. “And we can publicly frame this as a proactive step for peace, reinforcing our desire for stability in the region. We can build narratives around collaboration rather than confrontation.”
The Prime Minister considered this, tapping his fingers on the desk. “And if the Fortunans react negatively? Will they interpret our actions as a direct challenge?”
“They will,” Garcia replied bluntly. “But that’s part of the strategy. By establishing ourselves as a formidable ally to Jiduan, we deter potential hostilities. It sends a message: any aggression will be met with a unified response.”
Marcelo leaned back, deep in thought. “It’s a high-stakes gamble. But you two make it appetising.”
Márcio leaned forward. “It’s about protecting our interests, and ensuring that we don’t become pawns in a larger game. We have to show that we are prepared to defend our allies.”
The Prime Minister took a long pause, finally nodding. “Very well. Let’s move forward with this deterrent strategy - but make sure that our diplomatic channels remain open with Jiduan. We have to communicate our intentions clearly.”
Garcia smiled, relieved. “I’ll begin drafting a plan with General Staff.”
“Good. And we all better pray that this works.”
