The Common Good

Roleplay Library Unsorted RP
,
1

A light drizzle had descended on Sandyrva while the seven baan had been wrapped up with the night’s business. The last of the day’s homebound commuters dashed hither and thither across the street for the shelter of a tram of trolleybus. The more prescient among them were vindicated in taking along their umbrellas in the better weather of the morning.

Soň Demit was not one of those people. Fortunately for her, as a member of the most powerful body in the country she didn’t have to concern herself with such trivia. There were people on the state’s payroll whose job was to keep track of things like umbrellas so that the entirety of her mental abilities could be directed towards statecraft. The same staff even spared her the arduous task of holding the umbrella upright while she traversed the gruelling few meters between the door and her ride home, as well as the wretched task of opening the door. Of course she had to do the actual getting into the car herself, and was halfway done navigating through this intricate task when a voice she recognized as Vosk’s interrupted her.

“Excuse me, Soň,” he said by way of greeting with a curt smile on his lips. “Would it be too forward of me to suggest that we share a car this evening?” Soň just rolled her eyes. She was in a poor humor as always. Nonetheless she consented.

“Not at all. I’ve been hoping that I could speak with you one on one and this is a perfect opportunity for just that.” She finished entering the vehicle and slid over to the far seat while Vosk took the spot where she had originally anticipated sitting. The door was shut behind them, and black car pulled smoothly into the puddled streets. They were practically the only people on the road. This wasn’t unusual, privately owned cars for personal use were not a widespread convenience in Rykkovaa.

Vosk was the first to speak, after making sure the divider between them and driver was firmly shut and the following conversation would be one on one as intended. “That could have gone better,” he stated matter-of-factly. When Soň delayed in answering he turned to find her staring out the window at the vague black shapes illuminated by yellow streetlamps passing by. “I was under the impression that you also wanted to discuss this.”

“I’m sorry, I thought so too, but now that you’re actually here I’m not actually sure what to say.” She turned away from the window with a frustrated sigh. “Pask is the only vote we can count on, I don’t see how we’re going to convince any of the other four cowards about what has to be done.”

“Certainly not after the way you behaved.” Shockingly enough, Soň did not take this jab at her well. Noting her expression, Vosk offered up an explanation without being prompted by a tirade. “You have an unfortunate habit of letting your passions get the better of you. It can make you… unpleasant to deal with. When you’re trying to get a point across being on amiable terms is very useful.” Soň was unphased.

“Someone has to be willing to say the things I say, even if they’re unpleasant news.”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t break bad news, but there’s no reason you can’t break bad news civilly…”

“Okay, okay, you’ve made your point. That’s not the reason we’re here.”

“Well you seem to have resigned yourself to the opinion that their opinions are beyond changing.”

“Well, not unless the situation changes drastically, perhaps with our help…” Vosk shook his head at the suggestion.

“No, anything less than an actual declaration of war would be enough. A minor international incident wouldn’t be enough.” Soň was obviously frustrated by the response.

“Well, do you have a better suggestion.” Vosk grinned slyly.

“Of course. We just have to replace one of them with someone more pliant and sympathetic to our version of the story.”

“Brilliant, but you know as well as I do that baan is a lifetime appointment, and none of us are anywhere close to dead.” Vosk shook his head in a thoroughly patronizing manner.

“Soň, I know you’re not this unimaginative, you’re letting your frustration get in the way of thinking. You’re in charge of public security, you could arrange something. Or, more subtly, dig up some dirt, force a resignation, it’s not unheard of. You have the resources. In fact I’m sure you already have dirt on all of us. A smart girl like you knows how to play the game of politics, I would be shocked if you haven’t prepared yourself in case one of us ever turned on you.” Soň sank back into her seat. Most of the frustration on her face had been replaced with sorely needed thoughtfulness. Then she chuckled. Vosk found such an out of character response unsettling.

“I should have known better than to underestimate you. I’ll see what I can do.”

2

The weather the following day wasn’t much better. The rate at which the rain was falling had let up a bit, degrading into a sort of omnipresent fine mist. But the sky was still overcast with a rolling and decidedly gloomy unending sheet of cloud cover, and the air itself was damp, chilling and uninviting. Very few of the people on the street seemed at all pleased about having to be out in such conditions.

Jåvis Obraska, however, was quite fond of these kinds of days, in a sort of perverse, backwards way. It wasn’t that he liked having to walk through conditions that would leave him cold and wet. Because he didn’t have to, and days like this made the comfortable interior of a chauffeured vehicle or the sanctuary of his well appointed personal office seem all the more fantastic. He was enjoying what was, as far as he was concerned, a well deserved spate of relaxation in the latter when his daydreaming people watching of the streets below was interrupted by the entrance of his secretary.

“Excuse me sir…” said the young man, a fellow Iivrejet native fresh from tertiary education, with the greatest deference possible. Jåvis spun around in his rotating chair to face the arrival with a friendly smile. As long as he knew he was given the respect he desired, he was not a stickler about formality.

“Gårn! You’re looking very well. You chose a very good time to show up, I have some paperwork that needs to be taken care of and I don’t have the time for it personally right now.” Gårn half nodded, half bowed politely in response.

“Of course sir, I will take care of it immediately. But I must tell you that Miss Demit is here to see you.” Jåvis’s face registered a touch of surprise. Soň was definitely not the sort of person who just dropped by unannounced for friendly visits, not with him anyway.

“Did she say why?” Jåvis put forward the obvious question. Gårn shook his head.

“No sir, I’m sorry, she did not say why…”

“Well, I can see her now anyway. Please, invite her in.” This time Gårn didn’t give any verbal response. He just did his little half nod half bow again and, after quickly picking up and safely stowing away under his arm the stack of papers that Jåvis helpfully pointed out, retreated the way he had come. He was momentarily replaced by Soň, looking serious as always, and the door to the office was sealed shut once more.

“Soň, good to see you!” Jåvis did not bother to get up to greet her, but he did offer a seat with a wave of the paw. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?” Soň took the offered seat without any indication of thanks or any simple greeting. She held her silence for a moment before replying.

“Oh, not much, it’s just…” She paused again, and smiled a bit. Jåvis had to suppress a visceral reaction of displeasure when she did. Of course she never smiled, he thought. She can’t smile without coming off as threatening. She’s… quite good at that. He tipped his head to the side in feigned interest as he braced himself for whatever it was she was up to. “I was just wondering,” she continued smoothly, “How has Vikki been doing? It’s been longer than usual since you’ve last seen her, which is unusual. You’re usually very punctual when she’s involved.” Soň couldn’t help but feel slightly impressed by how flawlessly Jåvis dealt with the damning question.

“Vikki?” He said with a bemused smile and very convincing expression of puzzlement while he tilted his head to the other side. “I don’t know anyone named ‘Vikki’. Is this really what you interrupted my work for, to ask me about nonsense?” Soň reverted back to her default scowl.

“Jåvis, there isn’t anyone else here and the office is soundproofed, all of ours are. And you know that I wouldn’t have asked that question unless I already knew, so you’re not hiding anything from me by playing dumb.” Jåvis untilted his head, but his smile remained. Soň immediately felt a touch unnerved when she observed this. It was not what she had anticipated or hoped for.

“Well, you caught me, I confess!” said Jåvis far more cheerily than he should have as he threw up his hands in mock defeat and fell back into his seat. “I can see why you got put in charge of public security, you’re an excellent detective.” He shrugged. “What can I say, I’m a sucker for smaller, more delicate women. I find them… I guess the best word would be elegant.” Soň’s scowl grew deeper than usual.

“Sun Jåvis! How can you be so shameless? She’s a vulpine! You’re literally sleeping with the enemy! And it’s… it’s… I don’t know what I can say, wrong, disgusting!” Her fervored moral indignation was greeted with laughter.

“Lighten up Soň! Yes, Vikki is vulpine, but so what? You’re acting like she’s a human. I mean, if that was the case, I’d be with you on this one. Just looking at them I feel… clammy…” He shook involuntarily in mild disgust. None of this amused Soň, who continued to glare.

“Well, it’s not my opinions you should be worried about. I mean, how do you think your wife would feel about all this?”

“I think she’d feel whatever she’s been feeling these past few years.” Jåvis was pleased to note a look of puzzlement on Soň’s face. “What I mean is, she knows. She’s a wonderful woman, and we have an understanding. In fact, she’s been with a bodyguard of mine herself. I have to admit, I can’t remember his name off the top of my head, but he’s a nice guy, takes really good care of her.” Soň’s still looked confused, to Jåvis’s growing pleasure. “Oh, you didn’t know that either? Maybe you shouldn’t be heading up public security…”

“Well,” snarled a now agitated and slightly embarassed Soň. “There are others I could tell, who I doubt would be as understanding as your wife. And you’re going to have to make it worth my while not to tell them.” For a moment she felt victorious as Jåvis just stared blankly at her. But then he burst out laughing.

“Moon and Sun Soň, you really are an absolute idiot!” He struggled to speak through his laughter. “I guess that’s what Jandrak gets for fucking the rust and shit too much. Oh, don’t look at me like that,” he went on when he noticed Soň’s now horrified expression in response to his casual ethnic slur. “I know for a fact that you’re fond of referring to Säj as ‘that fish sucking bitch’.” Finally the last of his laughs faded off, and his smile dropped. He leaned forward in his chair again and brought his muzzle uncomfortably close to Soň’s. When he spoke next, his voice had adopted a deathly, chilling tone.

“Here, I’m going to do you a favor and explain something to you. I’ve been here much longer than you, and that’s all that matters. In the end it’s my word, my prestige, against yours. And you’ve got pretty much nothing. I’m sure you have evidence, but so what? I can say it’s doctored, and you know what? People’ll believe me! It’s one of the many perks of seniority around here. And even if they believed you, so what? Not much they can do about it. The only enemy I’ve got left is shame, and, well, like you said, by now I’ve pretty much run out of that. And I don’t think the others would be happy to find out that public security has been spying on them so thoroughly.” He paused long enough to return Soň her personal space and sink back into his chair. “So whatever it is you want from me, you’re not going to get it through blackmail, not like this anyway.”

When Jåvis finished speaking, he just stared coldly at Soň and waited for a response. It never came. Practically shaking with frustration and anger, she rose unsteadily from her seat and stormed out of the room without another word.

3

The end of the work week also brought an end to the chronic rainstorms which had been plaguing central Rykkovaa for the past few days. Unfortunately for the overwhelming majority of the population that had been waiting for this, they would be unable to completely appreciate the change in weather a bit longer since it had thoughtfully decided to wait until the very last hours of the day to occur. The only sunlight left to enjoy for the day was that of the sunset, a phenomenon whose viewing was substantially impaired by being in a developed urban center.

Jåvis was not among this unlucky many. He had opted to spend the weekend far away from what he found to be the foul and oppressive atmosphere of the city, and instead surround himself by the verdant life of the Iivrejet countryside at his second home. Not for the sake of viewing the sunset. This was just something of a habit of his which he only broke for the most serious of circumstances. Soň had also, despite the gaps in both her information and planning, been perfectly right that it had been longer than usual since he’d last seen Vikki. Even if he was in fact utterly devoid of shame at this point as he had more or less boasted to Soň, scandals were typically tiresome to deal with. Keeping it discrete was the far easier and pleasant option. Especially since all the measures necessary to achieve the necessary level of discretion were trivial or actually enjoyable.

The sunset was just an unexpected bonus, but that didn’t mean he was going to squander it. Why would he? Enjoying it didn’t interfere with any of his other plans for the evening in anyway, those plans being drinking something and being intimate with Vikki. Indeed, watching the sunset complimented the other activities nicely. So much so that he could get all three out of the way at once by simply sitting out on the veranda with Vikki and a couple of glasses of wine. Which is exactly what he did.

“I’m so glad the rain finally ended,” commented Vikki, resting her body idly on Jåvis’s, before taking another sip of wine from her glass. “I was starting to get depressed.” She took another sip. Jåvis matched her action before replying.

“Really, you don’t like rainy days? I always thought they make things cozier if you’re inside.”

“Yeah, but after a while never seeing the sun gets depressing.” Jåvis shrugged.

“I guess you’re right. It is a beautiful sunset…” He drained the last of his wine in a single gulp, and put the glass down on the table conveniently placed beside the bench on which they were seated. “But not as beautiful as you…” he continued with a cheesy grin and drew Vikki towards him. She responded with laughter and play struggling.

“Wait, Jåvis, stop! I’m haven’t finished my glass, you’re going to spill it… are, are you okay?” Her delighted smile became a frown as Jåvis unexpectedly backed off and put his paw to his chest with an unpleasant expression. He grinned bravely.

“Yeah, probably just something not sitting well… ugh…” His tightened his grip with a grunt of pain and bent over, and then went all out and collapsed in a great furry heap on the floor. Vikki let loose a panicked yell and let go of her glass, which shattered upon impact with the ground.

“Oh god, Jåvis, what’s happening?” she implored her love and fell to her knees beside him. Frantically she shook his shoulder, but he remained unresponsive. He had begun to twitch and was drooling. The noisy drama had not gone unnoticed. A bewildered bodyguard rushed onto the veranda and joined Vikki on the ground. He turned the stricken Jåvis over just in time for him to stop twitching and fall into stiff repose, his eyes staring, unmoving and unblinking, into the ceiling above. The stunned bodyguard could only feel his neck for a pulse, and then give Vikki a meaningful look. She immediately burst into uncontrollable sobs.

4

When the work week came rolling back aground, the good weather held, contrary to what experience would have protected. It might have been more situationally appropriate if things had returned to their previous gloomy state for a while. It would have certainly matched the mood that pervaded the next general meeting of the baan.

Ëno had been particularly hard hit by news of Jåvis’s death. His experiences in his many years of life had not left him jaded and emotionally hardened. Instead they had gradually worn him down, bit by bit, and this had just blown a great big chunk off and dramatically pushed the decay of his psyche forward. His grief was readily apparent to the other five left in the room. Tradition and practicality dictated that Ëno, as the one in charge of the purse strings, served not only as the functional head of government but as the chair of any such gatherings. He had been visibly detached. Where he had normally moved things along at a neat and clipped pace he delayed.

“Ah, yes. Thank you for that, Soň. I’m glad to hear that we at least have a suspect.” He spoke after a long pause. The last person to speak had been Soň. She had just finished meticulously detailing the grim circumstances of Jåvis’s untimely death and the status of the ongoing investigation. The news that the prime suspect was a vulpine had been particularly unwelcome. While the others had not said anything the look on their faces suggested they harbored similar feelings.

Another depressing silence passed while Ëno worked up the spirit to speak again. “Well, I don’t think we can do any more good today. Iivrejet’s lawspeaker’ll take care of selecting and nominating a candidate for replacement. Unless anyone else has something important to add, I will be taking my leave now. The rest of you may do as you please.” No one said anything. Without another word on his part Ëno rose from his seat. Three of the others followed suit and the four of them filed solemnly out of the room. Left behind to leave at a much slower pace were Soň and Vosk.

“This is something, isn’t it?” asked Vosk as he idly strolled over to Soň. “And at a time likes this…” Vosk leaned in towards her. “Surely…” Soň cast a cold glare at him and rose from her seat.

“Of course not Vosk. Besides, we’ve already got a perfect suspect. We’ll have her confession soon enough. We at public security have quite the way with words, and are quite proud of it.” Vosk smiled, genuinely amused by the uncharacteristic attempt at humor on Soň’s part.

“Of course, I’m familiar with your people’s credentials. We’re no strangers to coaxing information out of someone in the armed forces either. You know, sometimes we worry that public security elevates the… level of discussion far earlier than they should. In fact, you often seem to take things a bit fast in a lot matters.” He gave Soň a meaningful look. She reacted dismissively.

“Well, when we do that, we do it because it works. Someone like you should also appreciate getting results.”

“Of course, of course, I wasn’t complaining. You just have to be careful sometimes, don’t want to squander so much preparation and carefully laid plans with a careless mistake. Anyway, shall we?” He motioned towards the door. Soň smiled politely back at him.

“Why, after you.”

5

“When I was told about Baan Obraska’s passing, I was unable to truly believe what I was hearing.”

Just one sentence into his eulogy, Hågan Ovojkeja paused. He did it partly for effect, partly to preemptively compose himself and steady his own emotions. The the vast crowd of the mourning public at large who had gathered for the late morning service in the square below the steps of Iivrejet’s statehouse waited patiently for him to continue in solemn appreciation of the silence. Behind him his six new colleagues also watched and waited with differing emotions. A weary Ëno looked like he might just give up on life at any moment and fall out of his seat. Säj was wiping a small trickle of tears from her eyes and Makt looked like he was close to doing the same. Vosk and Soň both grimly collected but respectful. Pask seemed to be trying to will either the situation away from him or himself away from it. The man Hågan had previously been appointed governor of Iivrejet by and who he had just been elected to replace was also there. Jåvis’s larger than life face, complete with his signature friendly smile, stared unblinkingly over his successor’s head and out at the crowd from a funerary portrait decked in black and white and wreathed with fresh wildflowers.

When he felt the time was right, Hågan continued. He spoke slowly as if he were not entirely certain of where his words would lead him. “I have experienced the loss of those close to me before in life. Many of us here today have. But it is nothing one ever gets used to. I don’t think it is something that one can ever grow accustomed to if one has any sort of compassion for others.” Another pause followed. The gathered mass stood and waited in wordless agreement of Hågan’s opening remarks. "And nothing I have experienced before could have ever prepared me for this particular death. Not just because I counted Baan Obraska among my closest friends, but because of the circumstances surrounding his death.

“I…” Hågan swallowed the lump that had swollen up in his throat at the thought of what he was about to address. “I have never lost a friend to a tragedy, and I certainly have never lost a friend to the exceptionally cruel tragedy of cold blooded murder. Learning that Baan Obraska’s death was the result of deliberate poisoning… the idea that anyone would ever have a reason to murder this man was completely alien to me, for he was the single most charitable and well liked man I have ever know in my life. My numerous fellow citizens of Iivrejet assembled here today will all remember well how he vastly improved the state of our lives under his accomplished tenure as our baan.” The crowd let a muted murmur of agreement slip out at this remark. “I will be hard pressed to live up to his memory as our next baan.”

Then there was a subtle but sudden shift in Hågan’s tone. His next words were colder and sharper. "To think that anyone could ever be so heartless to take advantage of Baan Obraska’s kind and trusting nature to murder the man… I find this thought completely reprehensible. I can hardly harbor the thought in my mind and retain my composure at the same time, because the thought disgusts me like nothing else I have ever experienced.

"Thanks to the ever diligent efforts of Baan Demit and public security, we have already apprehended and obtained the confession of Vikki Siveri, the woman responsible for Baan Obraska’s death, and justice will be served for the crime committed against his person. But we can not leave it at that. The problem runs much deeper than that. I myself didn’t see it before either, because I didn’t want to. But Baan Obraska’s death has given me a harsh awakening to the reality of the situation, and must serve the same for the rest of us if we are to avoid a repeat of these sorry events. We are a nation under siege, we have always been. The Vekaiyun and Listonian enemies who ravaged our lands in the past have always been waiting hungrily on our doorstep, kept at bay only by our constant vigilance. But we have allowed ourselves to grow complacent. We have tolerated the free operation of their agents within our own borders, and now we’ve been made to pay the terrible price for our mistakes.

“I refuse to allow my friend’s death to have been for nothing, I refuse to learn nothing from what has transpired here. It is time for us to restore our old vigilance, and to fight back against those who threaten our very existence. Not just in memory of Baan Obraska’s senseless death, but for the sake of all of here today, for all of use not here today and for the future generations who will inherit our nation!”

As Hågan concluded his speech on this bombastic note, the a portion of the crowd burst into vigorous applause. Those that continued to hold a respectful silence meanwhile agreed heartily in spirit. Behind Hågan, Vosk and Soň exchanged a victorious glance.

6

The events of the meeting immediately following Jåvis’s funeral, Hågan’s first, was all but a foregone conclusion for everyone involved. This perhaps explained a great deal of the uncharacteristic lethargy which Ëno displayed in formally opening the proceedings. Even after everyone else was settled in their usual spots and ready and waiting he continued to stare blankly at his own two paws clasped on top of the table for an indeterminate number of minutes with an expression of total hopelessness and despair. It was entirely probable that he would have remained like this until driven from the spot by hunger or exhaustion if Soň had not dared to interrupt his brooding with an obviously forced cough.

Even when compelled to speak, Ëno dragged things out until the bitter end. Soň grit her teeth in frustration at his obviously reduced rate of speech. “Normally… under these sorts of circumstances…” Ëno began to drawl on in a lifeless and almost inaudible monotone. “When we… have a new member in our group… we give them an opportunity to, well, make an inaugural speech if they want to…” Soň now began to grip her leg beneath the table as she tried to manage her temper. “But… I think… that on this occasion… we may… have no time to beat around the bush… but…” He broke out of his monotone long enough to issue a deep sigh of regret that he could no longer delay what was coming. “All the same, I believe Ovojkeja should be allowed to speak first today…” He didn’t stop speaking with any obvious tone of finality or conclusiveness, but after a few seconds it could be safely assumed that he had finished. Hågan took this as an invitation to begin, and stood up for effect before beginning.

“Thank you,” he said with a respectful nod in Ëno’s direction. The old man didn’t seem to notice. He was back to staring glumly at his paws on the table. Hågan was not perturbed by the lack of acknowledgement, and continued. “Since all of you were present for the funeral of my predecessor, you already all know what I have to say, but I will recap nonetheless.” He cleared his throat and began the body of his speech. “We have had a load pistol pointed at our collective heads every since the restoration of Listonia. It brought to our borders for the first time in centuries a vulpine controlled territory. Not only is Listonia free to strike but their friends in Vekaiyu are as well. The unrest in Vekaiyu provides us with a opportunity to strike first and cripple their ability to make war and I fear that if we do not take it our nation will be a doomed one, that we’ll lose much more than just Jåvis…”

“If I may interrupt,” said Säj without warning. Hågan stopped and turned to look at her. Everyone else’s eyes followed. “It was tragic, but Jåvis’s death is not relevant to the issue of relations with Listonia is it? You’re not implying that he was assassinated on their behalf?” This earned Säj a derisive sneer from Soň.

“Of course that’s what he’s implying. Now, it’s true,” She settled back in her chair in tune with her minor admission. “Our investigation is still ongoing. But the evidence so far leads me to believe that Vikki acted on behalf of the Listonian government as part of a plot to weaken us from within. It’s clearly a precursor to some sort of more overt move.”

“What evidence? If you have evidence then it would be very helpful if…”

“Soň, Säj, please!” All the eyes in the room returned to Hågan. “I would like to be allowed to finish.” The two woman exchanged glares but held their tongues. “Thank you. Though I will admit Soň brang up just about every thing else I had to say. Other than the important point that the threat is also from within. Jåvis’s murderer was from within our own borders after all and has demonstrated with terrible clarity the incredible threat our vulpine population poses. It’s an entire insurgent force just waiting for Vekaiyu and Listonia to use them.”

This time it was Makt who spoke up in protest. “That’s preposterous! If they were that and the Vekaiyuns wanted to use them we’d have seen much worse for far longer than just one assassination! Punishing them as a collective will only create the sort of domestic terrorists you’re describing.” Soň would have burst out once again if Vosk hadn’t beaten her to it with his far more level headed tone.

“Makt, you don’t know these people like we do. With the greatest respect possible, coming from the east, and do not work with the government bodies tasked with dealing with our societies seedier side, you have not been exposed to the sort of things we have. You’ve been bred on purely academic and naive philosophies which blindly espouse the inherent equality of sentient individuals as a matter of dogmatic morality. But this is reality and we can not afford to be so idealistic if we’re going to survive. We are under threat and must act to mitigate that threat. To refuse to do that and condemn us all to destruction for the sake of an abstract and untested system of ethics is absurd.” He paused for a moment, but before Makt could muster up an adequate response, Vosk sabotaged him by returning the floor to Hågan. “Now, I believe Hågan was still speaking.”

“Thank you. And now that I have your attention again, I think we’ve wasted enough time on talk. I move that we direct the public security and military ministries to draw proposals immediately, to be enacted upon approval by another vote after review. All in favor?” Four hands went up. Three faces turned towards one another in utter defeat.

7

Night rolled around right on schedule that evening, swaddling city and countryside alike in the murky veil of darkness. One by one, lights in windows extinguished while the stars flickered into existence above. In the cities artificial lighting held night’s advance at twilight, but the rural areas outside of them were soon illuminated by nothing expect the moon, the stars and the headlights of a lone truck out on a suspiciously late night’s drive.

Despite the odd behavior the truck itself was unremarkable. It was just like any of the old but still functional trucks that the local farmers used to get themselves and their goods around during the daylight hours. Had anyone been awake to see the vehicle trundle along the unpaved back-roads they would, while amused by the novelty of someone out to late, not have given it much thought in the end.

Had they been able to follow the truck, though, the destination might have aroused slightly more suspicion. The village was a very succinct summary of the sort of place where a vulpine presence still clang on in the hostile territory of Rykkovaa. A cluster of cottages gathered around the all important church of the village, too small and too far out of the way for the provincial or national government to notice so long as they kept to themselves. And that was what they had done for centuries, living in what was very nearly a self contained world all their own, tethered to the outside by nothing but a single dirt road. Which was precisely why the sight of a truck from the outside world rolling in along that lone path would have been odd, had anyone been around to see it.

But no one was and the truck proceeded completely unaccosted right up to the local church, where it came to a stop by the building’s basement doors. From the passenger cabin a pair of men stepped out, exchanging remarks with one another in hushed tones. If any of the locals had been around to listen, they would not have understood a word, because the language the two spoke was a lupine one. One of them laughed cruelly when he discovered that the basement door was secured only by trust in the close-knit local community and the threat of God’s wrath. Their one potential obstacle eliminated from the get go, the two set to work, and the crates which had been stacked in the back of the truck were soon lying beneath the church instead. They closed the door behind them, and then left, driving back up the same road they’d arrived by.

The dim light of the following dawn revealed a second truck approaching the village. This one, however, clearly bore the emblem of the state security services on its side, and was followed by a small caravan of similar trucks. Some of the residents were awake to witness the spectacle, and watched with an unpleasant mixture of puzzlement and dread as the ominous vehicles pulled up to the church. The passengers they discharged were far less discrete, and far more numerous and heavily armed than last night’s. They stormed the place of worship and began to upturn every inch of the interior without the slightest modicum of respect. The village’s elderly priest was understandably upset by all this, and rushed to protest the hallowed ground’s desecration. This earned him only a baton strike to the back of the head and handcuffs around his wrists. Those gathered outside who were outraged by the sight of the semi-conscious and bleeding priest being roughly dragged away enough to try and intervene were dealt with in the same brutal fashion.

Meanwhile, back inside a cry summoned the unit’s commanding officer down to the basement. The search of the small church had proceeded at an appropriately clipped pace, and the raid had already uncovered what they’d been after. Stacked neatly in the cellar were enough crates of munitions to arm a small guerilla movement. Worse still, but as anticipated, a closer examination of the contents showed them to be of a foreign make. In a matter of minutes news of the discovery was relayed all the way up to the highest echelons of power.

8

“You want us to do what?”

Following the shocked question, silence hung heavy in Ëno’s office, but it was not Ëno who had spoken. It had been one of his guests, his friend and political ally Makt. Säj was also present, and the pair were seated in front of Ëno’s desk, both wearing the same expression of disbelief at what they had just heard. This was clearly not the response Ëno had been hoping for, though the look of resignation in his eyes suggested that he had been expecting it. When he did not answer Makt’s rhetorical question, Säj took a turn vocalizing her response.

“Ëno,you know as well as we do that those funds to the military and public security were all mandated by a vote of the Council, you can’t just ignore them on a whim. You have an obligation as the minister for finance to honor those resolutions.” Ëno just sighed another one of the world weary sighs he had become so fond of recently, and fixed Säj with a grim state. She involuntarily flinched at the harsh expression.

“And above all else I have a duty to preserve this nation and the livelihood of its people. I wish it hadn’t come to this too, but what they’re doing will ultimately destroy this entire country as we know it if we let it happen, and that’s something we can’t do, even if it requires radical action.”

“Ëno, you were there today, you saw the evidence.” Makt replied with a worried frown on his face. “I didn’t want to believe it either, but they found Listonian weaponry in a vulpine village. Jåvis’s association was one thing, but this isn’t something we can just sweep under the rug. If there’s a threat we’re going to have to deal with it, even if it is unpleasant.” Ëno sighed again, and this time shook his head in disappointment.

"You don’t really believe what Soň’s telling us, do you? Makt and Säj directed their puzzled looks at him a second time. “None of this makes any sense, you should be able to see that! Doesn’t this strike you as awfully convenient? First Jåvis and then a small arsenal just shows up?” The confusion on his guests’ faces were now mixed with deepening worry.

“Of course the arsenal was found after Jåvis was killed, the investigation was started by it,” said Säj. Ëno was unmoved.

“But why would they make their move now? Soň and Vosk said it themselves, it doesn’t make sense, the turmoil in Vekaiyu has weakened them. It makes sense for us to make a move, that’s what they want, and they’re willing to do anything to make that happen.”

“You’re not saying…”

“Like you said, just because you don’t want to believe it doesn’t mean you can ignore it and hope it just goes away.” Ëno’s gaze drifted away from Makt and Säj, and the two took the opportunity to exchange meaningful expressions. Both of them were beginning to suspect the same bit of bad news. They were not convinced that Ëno’s worries were founded. As much respect as they had for the man, they also recognized that he had accumulated many years of life. It was fully possible that senility had begun to set in, and was impairing his judgement.

“Ëno, please,” Säj implored. “We know Soň is unpleasant, but she’s the last person who would do something like this to her own people.” Without warning Ëno grasped his head and let out a frustrated cry in an uncharacteristic display of anger.

“Please, don’t do this to me! You’re my friends! We have to stop this, and you’re the only ones who can help me! Without your support, if I do this, when I’m removed as finance minister I won’t be able to stop the Popular Assembly approving a new one with my faction alone.” Makt was not won over by the outburst. He stood up from his seat.

“Well, you’re asking too much. I am not going to help you in destabilizing the government! If you go ahead with this, I will vote for your removal as finance minister and I will not help you prevent the appointment of a replacement.” Without another word, he headed for the door out. At the same time Säj stood up and followed him, leaving Ëno alone in his office.

9

“No turning back now, is there?” Vosk chuckled softly at his own rhetorical question. Listening from her own couch on the opposite side of the coffee table between them, Soň failed to see the humor in the statement. “Oh come on, lighten up Soň, you’ve earned it this time,” continued Vosk when he saw this. At the same time he poured himself a cup of tea and snagged a sweet from the tray that had been left by a now long gone servant. Soň remained unmoved. “We’ve succeeded in defeating cowardice of our own countrymen, that might be the hardest part of all this.” His expressive turned pensive as he took a sip of tea. “It’s only a shame it had to happen like this.”

“Well, you know as well as I do that it had to be done,” said Soň with a derisive snort. “We have a duty to protect this nation, and we can’t let people who’ve gotten soft stop us. Who knows, maybe a war’s just what we need to toughen this country back up.” The prospect seemed to put her in a better mood. Her scowl let up a bit and she pour her own cup of tea. Vosk took another sip of his before replying.

“Yes, there has been a troubling drift towards… decadence over the years. I suppose that’s the silver lining to all this, it’s given us a wonderful opportunity to reverse that trend. But on a serious note…” He illustrated his sincerity by putting his teacup back down on its saucer. “The first moves are your responsibility, and they’re important ones. We can’t move ahead with broader operations if we have a nascent insurgency present within our borders. I trust you’ve taken care of everything as planned?” Soň matched Vosk’s gesture, lowering her teacup. Her scowl reappeared in full force.

“Of course I have, you should know me better. The orders have already been passed down, and I was quite clear about the importance of this particular operation and the… necessary severity with which it should be conducted. There are just some people who won’t come peacefully.” Vosk cocked an eyebrow at the last comment but said nothing. Soň didn’t seem to notice. “But yes, you have nothing to worry about. Everything should be taken care of by the end of tomorrow, barring any unforeseen complications. Which there won’t be, of course.” She concluded by picking her teacup back up and resumed drinking. It was now Vosk’s turn to imitate Soň.

“Well, I’m sorry for having doubted you.” He raised up his cup. “Here’s to victory.”

10

Field Marshall Ere Ib’ikalvo adjusted his spectacles as he paced back and forth in his room, reading a report from Rykkovaa that was painstakingly translated hours ago. Though it had taken time to reach him, he was not the first one who read it – it had ascended rather quickly through the chain of command. Rumors of such activity was picked up by The Listonian Star, but the report had everything they needed regarding the current situation.

Ib’ikalvo was anything but intimidating. He was affectionately referred to as ‘schoolteacher’ by his comrades throughout the higher ranks due to his homely presence and round-framed spectacles. But what he lacked in appearance he excelled in organization. He was a main proponent to the former People for an Independent Listonia Organization, the group partially responsible for restoring a Listonian state in the first place. Now he was the man in charge of Listonia’s Army Group East, a group that had seen action in the past with various standoffs with Elephana, but had since remained dormant. It was a tough adjustment. He was used to planning attacks, testing various movements and tactics for use with smaller groups against large factions. Now it was the other way around. Worse, there wasn’t much to fight over. It was mostly train this, learn that, distribute commands to whatever, and ensure everything was in working order. Busy work, in other words.

Yet, he served his state just the same. He didn’t get caught up in the crime problems within Listonia – he was above such things. Keeping his nose clean was his speciality. In all accounts, he was the prime Listonian citizen: soft-spoken, honest, and organized – all for the honor of his state. He believed in the new government, how Stapen Evesuni, the leader of PIL, had ascended to the rank of dictator. It was a workable system and, as long as all departments were functioning efficiently and honorably, no problems should ever befall them.

Unless there were problems that somehow snuck under that clean nose of his.

“A Listonian murdered the Baan? Listonian Munitions found in a small vulpine village? Am I missing something? When did we invest any sort of expansionary interest in Rykkovaa?” He stopped pacing. “We didn’t.” Ib’ikalvo gazed out toward the Vilines skyline as the sun crested over the horizon, ushering in the evening and all the uncertainties it brought with it. “Over one year ago this city was the start of the fight for independence. It was through provocation that we exposed the Sevropians and got the attention of other nations. But why in their right mind would they want a war with our state? The two scenarios have equal footing.” He reached for his telephone and quickly dialed a number with a Ye’lelian extension.

“Yes, this is Field Marshal Ere Ib’ikalvo. Please transfer me over to Comrade Evesuni. Yes. 846. Yes. Thank you.” He waited on the line as the ring tone rang repeatedly into his ear. Finally, it clicked.

“Hello, Ere.”

“Hello Stapen. I assume you have already been informed of the goings-on in Rykkovaa?”

“Naturally, but only bits and pieces as they come. I’ve been given field reports and the paper.”

“Sir, I’ve known you for years now. I planned some of your attacks back when we worked with PIL. We were practically brothers out there on the battlefield, and with your leadership combined with my organization, we helped orchestrate independence. That constitutes as a bond, sir. We worked together on the project, but the project is ongoing, now that we are a true state.”

“Ere, I don’t have time for speeches. The point.”

“I need your honesty, sir.”

“When have I not been?”

“I know as well as you do that no one tells everything. We all play our own cards. But I need to know this. Have we been planning anything in Rykkovaa at all, regarding what those reports have said? I need to know where we stand.”

“No. Nothing has been planned at all for that state. Prior to this report, I suspected interactions to be tense, but otherwise peaceful. That’s all you really need to know with respect to that.”

The field marshal stood to attention. “Then if you have told me, it must be so.”

“Is that all you need?”

“Shall I make any preparations, sir?”

“Use your best judgment, Ere. I am not much of a military man, but I only want precautionary measures, nothing that would escalate a conflict. Just… in case. These allegations are pretty steep and until they or we find out what’s going on over there, we will need to sleep with one eye open.”

“Thank you sir.” He waited to hear the click of the phone on the other end before hanging up.

11

The man was drawn out of the house by a rumbling of motors up the road. Trucks through the village all the time. Something had to take the produce away and bring in what the village couldn’t make for itself. But, the village being as small and remote as it was, it was usually only a truck or two at one time. This sounded like much more than that, and indeed, that’s what it was. A small convoy could been seen coming up the road at a rapid pace, kicking up a great cloud of dust in their wake. As they drew closer, he was able to identify the insignia of the national security services. By this point his wife had followed him out to see what all the fuss was about.

“What’s going on?” she asked, posing the obvious question. Her husband just shrugged as his eyes remained fixed on the procession of trucks which was now passing by their house.

“No idea, a bunch of trucks from the security bureau just showed up. No idea where they’re headed.” His wife furrowed her brow and bit her lip in puzzlement. The last of the trucks passed, and she turned her head to look down the road where the vehicles appeared to be headed.

“I don’t think there’s anything down there but the vulpine village. Oh!” She clapped her hand to her mouth in mild shock. “You don’t think they’ve found another cache of weapons do you? Whatever it is, it must be big for them to send that many trucks” Her husband folded his arms and snorted.

“If you ask me they should have cracked down on them a long time ago. I don’t know why they’ve let those bastards live here for so long, it could only end badly and it did.”

“Oh come on, they’re not that bad,” responded his wife. “I got your vest from them you know?” Her husband gave her an incredulous look, and then examined the ornate vest he was wearing pensively.

“Well, I stand by what I said,” he finally said as he recrossed his arms and turned his nose up. “Whatever they get’ll be too good for them. We should get back to work anyway.” Without any further discussion on the topic, the pair retreated back into their cottage.

It wasn’t long before they were drawn back out by the sound of different gunfire. When they looked down the road the trucks had gone, a column of smoke was rising above the tree line. This time they didn’t speak with each other. They just stood and watched the smoke with the rest of the village and waited until the convoy came back the way it had come.

12

Eszter Melisa Cantu couldn’t believe it as she read the online news article concerning about the recent events in Rykkovaa. “My God! This…I can’t believe it.”

She was about to contact the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Rykkovaa when she noticed that she was supposed to see her fiancee later today. She had to make this quick.

“This is the office of Baan Orädija Säj of Novajot, how may I help you?”

“Yes, this is Eszter Melisa Cantu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Relations for the Confederacy of Vulshain. I need to speak to Baan Orädija Säj of Novajot immediately. It concerns the recent events in Rykkovaa.”

“Please hold. I’ll transfer you over to him.”

Eszter tapped her fingers as she waited.

13

((sent via email))

— Begin quote from ____

Baan Orädija Säj of Novajot,

Good day. The passing of Baan Obraska is indeed a difficult one to grasp, and I must send my condolences. It seems many nations in our region are experiencing different forms of sadness at this point in time. Nevertheless, it is my hope that brighter days are ahead.

I have been made aware of the situation surrounding the death of the previous Baan and the reported discovery of Listonian munitions in a vulpine town. I can assure there has been no involvement by our government with respect to any affairs in Rykkovaa. However, in the same breath, I must also express my concerns for the lack of communication between our two states during such times. Such communication has been lacking for quite some time. With the tensions that seem to be pulsating in our region, this is indeed something we should both look to improve in the near future.

The best of luck in your endeavors.

Respectfully,
Stapen Evesuni (dictated, then translated)

— End quote

14

Safely ensconced in the private sanctuary of her own office, Säj was finally able to drop the mask of a strong, confident national leader. The anxiety and doubt she had been keep well under wraps throughout the morning began to leak out and show on her face. With an already weary grumbling, she walked straight towards her chair and fell into its comforting embrace.

She hadn’t been anywhere near it. She hadn’t even been near any discussion or mention of it. But she was well aware of the plans that had been put in place, she had after all voted to approve them, and there was no chance that the public security services would have strayed from it. As she sat behind her desk, they were out systematically raiding one vulpine village after another and detaining their respective populations. And the thought was troubling her.

Yes, she was partially responsible for giving the operation the go ahead, but looking back she now felt that she had not been thinking clearly. Her grief over Javis’s recent death and panic over the still more recent discovery of arms had impaired her judgement. Now that she had had time enough to clear her mind, her better instincts were in conjunction with hindsight rallying an impressive counterattack. It was not a coincidence that she had been selected for the position of foreign minister. The same political leanings which had allowed her to become the leader of what was, by both its own boasts and general consensus, the most liberally minded of all the baan had made her a natural for the position. Even if they had been presented damning evidence, it was impossible for her to shake the deep seated sentiment that there must be a more civilized way to resolve all this unpleasantness than mass detainment and soon downright open warfare.

It was in this state of mind that Säj discovered that Evesuni had sent her a diplomatic correspondence by email. He had chosen the perfect language to catch and hold her attention. Concern over a lack of communication. In the back of her mind she imagined Soň’s and Vosk’s response to such a message. All lies masking wicked intentions and carefully and deliberately designed to get her to let her guard down. As much as she didn’t care for their company, surely it was wiser for her to trust them over any foreign leader, no matter how well spoken. There was another person’s words in her thoughts though, Ëno’s, and she had always trusted and respected him more than Soň and Vosk. True, she had stormed out his office when Makt had but, again, with the immediate pressure of the moment gone doubts and second thoughts were free to run rampant. Ëno had been on to something when he said it didn’t make an awful lot of sense for Listonia to make a move. Even if they were up to something, war was a very drastic response.

She rested her arms on the desk and her head in her hands. She massaged her forehead while grumbling incoherently some more as she tried to work through this new complication of the situation. She had been thrown a line of contact, a wondrous chance to avoid the catastrophe now looming. She certainly had the authority to go ahead and send out a reply immediately, but that in itself wouldn’t stop the military from carrying through with its carefully laid plans. Säj cringed at the thought of how duplicitous and treacherous she would seem if she were to send a message of peace right before an all out assault. It would be personally unpleasant to be though ill of and practically it did no good to lose Listonia’s trust. Yet she couldn’t very well send out an honest reply, that would be outright betrayal. She could talk to Vosk and Soň, but she didn’t have enough irrational hope to fool herself into believing that a single message would stop them.

Trapped without any realistic hope of escape, she was relieved when her secretary’s voice suddenly piped up from the opposite end of the intercom. While it was arguably irresponsible to think so, a chance to think about something else for a while was a welcome break. “Excuse me Baan Öradija, there’s a telephone call for you from. It’s a Eszter Melisa Cantu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Relations for the Confederacy of Vulshain. Do you want to take it now?” Säj quickly gathered herself.

“Yes, please connect them to my line immediately.”

15

After hearing the Baan’s reply, Eszter answers, “Baan Orädija Säj of Novajot, this is Eszter Melisa Cantu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Relations for the Confederacy of Vulshain. I’m calling to talk about the recent situation going on between you and Listonia. I hope I can persuade you to give a peace a chance, especially, with Dveria’s attack on Listonia. If Dveria does invade Listonia and takes it over, what’s to stop them from invading your Rykkovaa? They have already launched missiles at Listonia, with one hitting the border between Elephana and Listonia. I should warn you that his Majesty, King Samuil Rainard, the Confederate Monarch will be travelling to Listonia soon.”

Eszter waited for a reply.

16

OOC: This is a collaboration between Gulliver and I.

IC:

“Warn me?” Säj frowned. This was not the topic of conversation she had been hoping for and already things seemed to be off to an unpleasant start. "I hope you aren’t threatening me Minister Cantu.

Eszter smiled. “Oh Heavens no! I am not threatening you at all. I was simply trying to give you advance notion that King Rainard may decide to travel to your nation after he visits Listonia.”

“Oh, I see,” replied Säj with an internal sigh of relief. She was glad that Eszter had changed the topic and was all too happy to run with it. “Well, obviously there are details that would have to be worked out, but I would be more than happy for his majesty to pay us a visit.”

“Thank you.” Eszter decided to try something. “Now, I understand that there are problems between Lupines and Vulpines, so His Majesty’s safety will have to be insured, since he is a Vulpine.”

“Well, public security is not my responsibility,” said Säj instead of what was actually on her mind. The ruling faction would probably be unhappy about allowing a vulpine head of state to visit the nation, no matter how much she was for it. “But I can vouch for the efficacy of the security ministry.”

Eszter smiled. “Excellent! King Rainard will be most pleased with this news. He seeks to establish better relations with other nations. Now, the king is travelling by air to various nations. Would it be best for him to travel by plane or by road?”

“Oh, no, no, I’m sorry if I mislead you, I will have to consult with others before I can decide on anything definite I’m afraid.”

“I see. Well, then, once you have consulted with others of your government, feel free to give me a call, so I can inform His Majesty.” Eszter then gave Säj her number.

“Of course,” said Säj and nodded while she did so even though the addressee could not see the motion. She wondered how much of a chance she had of ever calling back under such pleasant circumstances. “Is that all for now?”

“Thank you, the best of luck to you as well, it was a pleasure doing business with you, farewell.”

“Farewall,” she said as she hung up. She began to wonder what would happen next.

17

As soon as she had put the receiver back down, Säj allowed her mask of confidence and peace of mind recede once again. The conversation should have been a distraction, she should have been thrilled by the prospect of the proposed visitation. A chance to refresh relations with a nation with which they had next to none, a chance to work for a modern and outward looking Rykkovaa. Instead she faced only more frustration at being taunted by a wondrous but unattainable pipedream. The others certainly wouldn’t allow it, and even if she could convince them to as a formality who would want to visit once a war was on?

Taking her head out of her hands and her arms off of the table she shifted her weight back in her seat and sighed. A glance at her watch reaffirmed what she already knew. It was several hours past noon already. In several more the rocket artillery would be unleashing their first volleys of indiscriminate destruction on those cities just across the border while the army began its drive through the south. Again, she desperately toyed with the idea that she might be able to convince Vosk to back down, only to reject it again as absurd. But she had to do something, it was a moral obligation and resigning herself to inaction would be entirely unforgivable.

She could only think of one person who she could turn to for help. Ëno, the same man she had walked out on earlier, but she was certain that he would forgive her for her transgression. After all, he clearly felt the same duty to stop the coming madness.

18

The office was a flurry of activity. People rushed in just about every imaginable direction, hastily attending to the necessary technical and aesthetic preparations for the coming broadcast. The only obviously immobile thing was Vosk, sitting serenely behind his desk at the eye of the storm, watching and waiting for things to finish up. When the activity gave signs of slowing, he finally stirred in response.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes sir!” The soldier replied to his superior with a snappy salute. The officer nodded, obviously satisfied with the answer he’d gotten and the results of his own ongoing informal visual survey of the waiting rocket artillery. To both his left and his right a battery of the warmachines lay waiting in the moonlight, ready to begin firing on those urban centers just across the border. They needed only his order. Trembling slightly in excited and dreadful anticipation of what he was about to do, despite many years of strict military discipline, he lifted up his hand to give the final signal.

“Action!” cried the director as he brought his hand down in a swiping motion. The light on the camera came on, signalling the start of the live broadcast. Making sure to look directly into the lens pointed at him, Vosk started to speak in his typical calm and steady fashion.

“Good evening. I come to you this evening under trying times. Doubtlessly all of you have recently followed the news with the same concern I have. First there was the tragic assassination of Baan Obraska by a vulpine. Were that an isolated event, then the concern would not be so great, but it was not. We have no discovered weapons of Listonian make, stashed away in a vulpine village. It is now painfully clear to all of us now that we are a nation under siege.” He paused for dramatic effect.

“Which is why tonight, we break that siege!”

The troop of soldiers cheered enthusiastically in response to the robust conclusion of their commander’s speech, an acceptable break from standard military discipline. The boost to morale was a vital one. There soldiers were the ones with the most important task of all. Stationed at the southern border, their drive would be the main thrust of the initial invasion and likely the most arduous. No amount of preparation could be considered too much. The soldiers were now seething with a potent mixture of excitement and bloodlust. It showed in their faces and eyes.

It was an unusual expression for Vosk. It was very possible that he was forcibly assuming it for the purposes of drama and propaganda. If he was faking it, then he was a very convincing actor. “Even as I speak right now, our brave soldiers are firing the first salvoes of this offensive against our enemies, delivering to them the just punishment they have earned through their continued provocations.”

“Sure looks like it,” sneered the commander with a cruel laugh. Through his binoculars he could make out the sudden and brief bloom of lights on the horizon as the rockets fell to earth. A few seconds later and the sound of innumerable nigh simultaneous detonations rolled over him and his battery like distant and terrible thunder. “Hope you like it, you scrawny midget bastards. Okay!” In a second his voice returned to its previous authoritative tone. “Pack it up and move out of range of return fire, and signal the next battery! This is just the beginning!”

“Which is why I want to conclude this broadcast with an appeal to all of you proud and brave citizens of our nation: do not falter! Stand strong, do your part for the war effort, and we will wipe this threat to us all from the face of the earth once and for all! Be strong, Rykkovaa. These are trying times but we will overcome and emerge stronger than before for our hardship. Thank you, and good night.” The light on the camera flicked off. Those who had been waiting in patient silence broke into appreciative applause as Vosk got up.

“You don’t think that ending was too weak?” asked Soň as Vosk walked up to her. She was also clapping, but it had a decidedly sarcastic quality about it. Vosk was unmoved by the taunt.

“I wish I could stay and answer that, but I’m afraid I have a war to run.”

19

It only took a few minutes, but the Listonian 23rd answered to the call of the disturbances across the border. Katyusha rockets were volleyed across the contryside in return fire - the missiles howling as they launched from their carrier. While not accurate by any stretch, they could lay waste large areas of land with their consistent bombardment. It was the rudimentary attack phase of what was once the Vekaiyun standard: katyushas first, then move in. Of course, the Listonian standard was some 20 years behind, and with weapons becoming costly to maintain, life for the military wasn’t a walk in the park in any stretch.

Meanwhile

“We believe this is where they are planning a breakaway attack!” General Huviru shouted as an overhead map of Listonia glowed, a red ring formed around an area of land on the Listonian-Rykkovaa border. “They will spearhead right into the 23rd and 42nd! We must mount a front to counter!”

Field Marshall Ere Ib’ikalvo folded one leg over the other, visibly uncomfortable. He removed his spectacles and cleaned them with a lens cloth recovered from the pockets of his brown uniform that was at least thirty-five years younger than he was. “I do not anticipate a spearhead, general. This is merely a diversion. They want us to move our forces over to that sector so we leave one of our flanks exposed.” He huffed out a sigh.

“With all due respect, if they break through we’re going to have hell to pay!”

“Knee-jerk reactions will get us nowhere, general,” he replied in his typical calm demeanor. “Continue with the five-minute barrage.”

Ib’ikalvo continued to watch the map of Listonia and the various symbols indicating points of interest and division movements. “We never had to deal with this in the days of PIL,” he thought, wondering if his tactics from his days of guerrilla warfare would hold water against a much stronger force.

20

“Oof, that’s a lot of firepower,” commented the artillery commander as he watched the ground he had just abandoned be shredded by an impressive display of rocket impacts. “We were right to get out of there after only one volley. Probably rocket artillery, judging by that noise and how many strikes they managed in such a short time,” he continued, speaking to no one in particular. His subordinates didn’t particularly need to know the reasoning behind any orders he was going to give right now. “It might take some time for them to ready a second volley, though only if that was everything…”

He put down the binoculars he’d been looking through and cracked his neck while he thought. “Have some of the artillery sent back in when it’s over, and try to provoke another response, but only enough to look like a real threat. Keep most of it back. And have the conventional artillery ready in a second position in range to begin counter-battery fire if they return fire again and we can figure out their location.” He sighed, admitting to himself that the enemy had so far shown a bit more firepower than he had expected. “This is going to be one long night. They’d better be advancing smoothly down south so this is all worth my time”

[hr]
Saj arrived at Ëno’s office just in time to find him watching the very tail end of Vosk’s speech on a small, old and decidedly sad looking television set set up in one corner of his office. Nothing about his body language suggested that he was aware she entered, so it a surprise when he suddenly addressed her without turning around.

“You didn’t feel like watching the entire thing? I can’t say I blame you, it’s not pleasant being reminded of how badly things have gone.” He sighed heavily, and Saj immediately felt a pang of complete guilt for having refused to listen to him earlier when he had appealed to her and Makt. A child before her senior colleague, she nearly hung her head in shame.

“Ëno, I’m sorry, I should have listened to you earlier when you came to me and Makt…” Ëno immediately dismissed the apology.

“No, it’s not your fault, I’ve had time to think about it since I stopped panicking and accepting what was going to happen as inevitable, and I’ve come to realize how mad I must have sounded. And even if you’d listened to a mad old man, what good would it have done? There really isn’t anything we could have done.” He got up to turn off the television, and then sank back into his seat with another sigh. An uncomfortable silence followed until Saj spoke up.

“But that’s why I came here, there is something we can do about this. I’ve just been contacted directly by Evesuni, I have a direct line now through which I can try to negotiate a peace!” Ëno’s response was less than enthusiastic or positive.

“The second the Council heard you were doing something like that they’d immediately vote to relieve you of the post of foreign minister.”

“That’s why it’s so important that it’s a direct line, the negotiations can be entirely secret…”

“And then what?” He didn’t wait for her to finish before shooting her down the second time and finally turning around to look at her. “The Council would never approve it, they’d just kick you out of office like I said.”

“Well…” Saj wasn’t sure what else she could say, because everything Ëno had said so far was perfectly correct. The situation as it stood did not lend itself to any obvious solutions. “Well, before we rule anything else, can we at least talk with Makt? He might come around if I’m with you.” Ëno bit his lip.

“Fine, I’ll go along with it, not that I think it’ll work. I really… I really just need to feel like I tried everything.”