Etuini Notapa was sitting in his office discussing crucial plans with a member of his staff. He hated being interrupted when he was working, but today’s interruption would shake up his world. He was the CEO of Café Net Ltd., an ISP with offices in the Kuthernburg World Trade Centre and operating in Kuthernburg, and Latianburg. They were making lots of money and enjoying the success that the project was becoming.
He received a call from the Chief Admin of their Latianburg branch, that a terrorist organisation called Al-Jaheed was perpertrating terrorist attacks and threatening his staff and investment. He jumped and called Locklyn Le Roy, immediately.
Locklyn, "Le Roy speaking’.
Etuini, “Good evening Mr Le Roy”.
Locklyn, " Good evening Etuini".
Etuini, “I’m sorry for disturbing you and speaking so frankly, sir, but we have a problem”.
Locklyn, " That’s not an issue at all, and if I can help you, I will".
Etuini, “My Chief in Latianburg, called with an urgent message about terrorists in Latianburg threatening our operations”.
Locklyn, " We received intelligence, but nothing major was forthcoming, so we let Iohana handle it".
Etuini, “I don’t mean to be rude sir, but why didn’t you tell me?”
Locklyn, “We gave you the company to run and trusted your powers of investigation to make a proper assessment of what was happening before you launched operations there and you were confident that everything would be fine. We trusted you”.
Etuini, " I understand sir. This is different from the small scale stuff we saw before we got our first office in Kuthernburg. I know all the risks, and I wasn’t calling to discuss what we both already know ".
Locklyn, " Oh, I think I understand ".
Etuini, " We have some muscle to protect my staff and our critical assets, but fanatics don’t act on or listen to reason, and might be more than we can handle".
Locklyn, “So you need me to ask the NC for help?”
Etuini, “Yes, please”.
Locklyn, " I’ll talk to Iohana and Kiahuaeni and see what we can work out".
Etuini, “Thank you sir”.
Locklyn, " I benefit just as much as you do from this project, so it’s the least I can do my brother".
Etuini, “I am glad sir”.
Locklyn, " Good bye".
[hr]
The National Council had met for a meeting earlier the same day and Iohana and Kiahuaeni were not gone yet. He hoped to catch them before they left.
He found them talking in the Green Drawing Room. It was lighthearted from the sound of their laughter, a welcome relief from the work of politics; and unfortunately he would have to break it.
“Kia wanoani”, he greeted and they reciprocated.
After some lighthearted conversation on the dismal performance of F.C. La Rochelle in the Premier Football League match against F.C. Serenity, he got into the grit of what he had come to talk about.
" We’ve been working on finding out what’s happening first, and I’ve been busy as you can imagine, so I haven’t had time", Iohana replied.
“I understand, my brother. While I am in doubt about your work, the increasing of the threat to Oan citizens and assets, requires a more immediate and muscular response”, Locklyn said.
" You want to deploy the military in some way, brother?", Kiahuaeni asked.
“Yes ma’am”, Locklyn replied.
Iohana, " I suppose that might be fine, but I’ve stretched our budget, so freeing up some personnel for any operation might be hard. On your side ma’am? "
Kiahuaeni, “We’ve scaled back our operations in light of certain changes to the way we work, so I have a few bored men who want a vacation and some money to send them”.
Locklyn, " That’s beautiful. I know shifting to non lethal weapons is annoying my sister, but I at least it’s given you the freedom to deploy your men as you see fit’.
Kiahuaeni, “As long as the money fits and we get things sorted out in 30 days”.
Iohana, " We’ll need to really know what you’ll be up against, so we don’t overreach or underreach".
Kiahuaeni, “We have sleeping gas in our ICBMs. We’ve because so pacifist, we might just as well throw pillows at our opponents”.
She saw the look of discomfort on their faces and said, " I’m sorry my brothers. I don’t doubt you, when you put in place these pacifist laws. I come from a time when you shot someone you saw their blood spill out instead of giving them a really pleasant nap. It’s hard for me to see things the way you do, and I’m trying to. Spilling blood is wrong".
Locklyn, “Thank you our sister, we know it’s not the easiest to let go of what we were taught, but at least now, we can teach the world about what true peace looks like”.
Iohana, “And as a bonus, you still keep your cruisers”.
Kiahuaeni, " I miss my aircraft carriers though. I should be able to post a small strike team near the Latianburg coast. We have a couple of Transports, a mixed cruiser carrier, some missile boats, and a destroyer just in case".
Locklyn, “We talk to the Council and see what they say”.
Iohana, " And ask the Latianburg government for permission first, we may come with pacifiers, but it wouldn’t be very appropriate to just land there. Perhaps we need to talk to them first. See what they need and what we can help them with, before we move on".
Kiahuaeni, “Excellent”.
Locklyn, " Thank you brother and sister, I’ll leave you to it".
