03-02-2021, 08:14 AM
(OOC note: please visit the planning thread for more info about this event.)
Ixtenco
February 1st
Atoacotl sighed in frustration. The former executive with Xiomera's Mizhua Corporation was used to challenges. But the ones that came with his newest job were the worst ever.
After the end of the Second Xiomeran Civil War and the emergence of an independent Huenya, Atoacotl had left Mizhua when the megacorp decided to cut its losses and withdraw to what was left of Xiomera. Mizhua's sudden withdrawal had left thousands of people in Huenya out of work, and dozens of factories dismantled and stripped of their valuable equipment.
The Huenyan government had subsequently seized control of the former Mizhua facilities and what was left of the equipment, creating the Huenyan Goods Corporation to try to get the factories up and running again under new ownership. HG had been gifted the factories by the government, with a mandate to build them into something that could be a foundation for the Huenyan economy again. But HG, along with multiple other companies that had been created to take over the spaces left by now-absent Xiomeran corporations, had been given a massive task. To get the factories going again, and people working, would need a big investment. Money the companies, and Huenya in general, did not have.
"You seem happy," a chirpy voice with a touch of sarcasm interrupted Atoacotl's thoughts. Catzahue, Atoacotl's counterpart at the newly created Huenyan Products Corporation, walked into the office with his usual swagger. HuenPro, like HG, was in an almost impossible position. Atoacotl had no idea how Catzahue could always be in such an optimistic mood. "I'm supposed to launch a consumer conglomerate to rival Mizhua and get people working again with broken machines, wrecked factories, and no money. And so are you. Your cheerfulness is....slightly deranged," Atoacotl said. "And don't you ever knock?"
"I tried to ask him, sir," Cihalchitli, Atoacotl's secretary, said in irritation from the doorway. Atoacotl sighed again and nodded in commiseration with her. Catzahue wasn't the type to take no for an answer; Atoacotl gave his secretary a wry smile of forgiveness before gesturing for her to shut the door.
"Formalities such as knocking are for people who have time to waste. We don't," Catzahue said. "You're right - we're all between the proverbial rock and hard place, with a bunch of junk and smashed-up buildings and no money. But there is a way to jumpstart this situation."
"How? Don't even say the government, such as it is - they've made it clear they have no funds to give us, only expectations for us to meet," Atoacotl said sourly, his last meeting with Huenyan officials still leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
"Pfft, the government. When have people like us ever relied on the government? I have a better idea. Whether it's the private sector or the public sector, Huenya needs funds to begin rebuilding. Seed money, if you will. We're essentially the biggest startup the world has ever seen, right now. And we need venture capital, of a sort. I have a way for us to find some."
Catzahue handed Atoacotl a folder. Atoacotl took the folder and opened it, reading through the documents aside. After a moment, he put the folder down. "A benefit festival?" he said at last. "That's the idea?"
"It is, and a damned good one, if I say so myself," Catzahue said, slightly stung by Atoacotl's dubious tone.
"So.....you want us to go begging the world for money? That sounds....distasteful," Atoacotl countered.
Catzahue grimaced in frustration. "It's that kind of pride that will keep us in the gutter. It's not wrong to admit you need help, and if anyone needs help right now, it's Huenya, especially after the number the Xiomerans did on us....sorry," he finished with a look of embarrassment on his face. Atoacotl, who was Xiomeran, gave his Tepiltzin counterpart a bemused look. "Don't be sorry....it's not like I claim those Xiomerans either," he replied. He picked up the folder again and began looking through it, as much out of renewed interest as giving Catzahue a chance to recover from his embarrassment. "This won't work if it's just some crass money grab. We have to appeal to people outside Huenya, and give them a reason to care about helping us. We have to......show they're helping actual people. Show they're helping to build a democracy," Atoacotl said, his voice warming as the wheels began to spin in his head. "We'll need to form a non-profit board, with members from all walks of life. Including foreigners, if they want to be on the board. We'll also need to let multiple accounting firms watch the books, and how the money's spent. The money raised will also need to go to a wide range of goals: rebuilding the economy, building democratic institutions like the new legislature, repairing and building infrastructure...."
"So, it sounds like you're in," Catzahue said eagerly.
Atoacotl sighed yet again. "Someone has to make sure your crazy dream actually works," he replied.
---
March 1st
Chuaztlapoc
The press conference one month later was being held at the ancient south gates of the old city wall of Chuaztlapoc. This was by design. The south gates of Chuzatlapoc had already gained worldwide renown as the place where the forces of what would become Huenya had achieved their first great victory and stopped the Xiomeran army from crushing their dream of freedom. At those gates, the newly formed board of the Huenyan Aid Corporation was set to make their first announcement. Catzahue, as the most animated speaker, was chosen to give the statement. He stood in front of a large banner that read Huenya Aid 2021, a sober expression on his face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. We are here to stand before the world in a much different fashion from what you are used to hearing, from this part of the world. But as Huenya begins its journey of independence towards becoming a full-fledged democracy, we must humbly admit to the world: we need your help. The destruction of war, coupled with the deliberate pillaging and destruction of our homeland by its former rulers, have severely damaged our nation. Thousands of people are out of work, with their workplaces stripped bare and even destroyed. Infrastructure has been brought to ruin. Schools, hospitals, clinics, businesses large and small....all are feeling the impact of this wanton destruction."
"For the first time in our history, a democratic and equal nation is emerging in Huenya. But this great accomplishment, which we all aspire to, is fragile and painful to achieve. The deprivation our nation is now facing due to the war and to the deliberate attempts to sabotage us threaten that dream. The emergence of a democratic state in Huenya is something that the people of Caxcana, and indeed the world, have hoped and dreamed for just as we have, to end the shadow of tyranny and imperialism that hangs over this part of the world. We're asking the world, today, to help us ensure that dream can be realized."
"The Huenya Aid Foundation, a non-profit foundation, will be staging a series of live events on March 28th, 2021 under the banner of Huenya Aid 2021. We will be holding artistic and musical events, as well as educational events, live throughout the day both on air and online. We are hoping the rest of the world will join us in this effort to raise funds throughout that day to benefit the following goals: rebuilding the economy, building democratic institutions, repairing and building infrastructure, and direct aid to Huenyans in need. We're pleased to announce that groups in the Slokais Islands have already committed to holding a series of events to feature music, movies and special guest speakers. We hope many more nations will join us in this historic effort."
"The people of Huenya are hardworking and industrious - we're not looking for a handout. The help you give us will help get us back on our feet, so that we can repay it by being a stable trading partner, a united society, and another nation to help lead the fight for equality and democracy with our neighbors. It will also benefit those who are suffering through no fault of their own due to the fires of war, and those who have lost loved ones or suffered physical or mental harm. I hope that more nations will join with us to help the suffering, to help Huenya recover from its fight for freedom, and build our nation into a great land to help champion the cause of democracy in the future. Thank you," Catzahue said, before stepping back to applause.
Ixtenco
February 1st
Atoacotl sighed in frustration. The former executive with Xiomera's Mizhua Corporation was used to challenges. But the ones that came with his newest job were the worst ever.
After the end of the Second Xiomeran Civil War and the emergence of an independent Huenya, Atoacotl had left Mizhua when the megacorp decided to cut its losses and withdraw to what was left of Xiomera. Mizhua's sudden withdrawal had left thousands of people in Huenya out of work, and dozens of factories dismantled and stripped of their valuable equipment.
The Huenyan government had subsequently seized control of the former Mizhua facilities and what was left of the equipment, creating the Huenyan Goods Corporation to try to get the factories up and running again under new ownership. HG had been gifted the factories by the government, with a mandate to build them into something that could be a foundation for the Huenyan economy again. But HG, along with multiple other companies that had been created to take over the spaces left by now-absent Xiomeran corporations, had been given a massive task. To get the factories going again, and people working, would need a big investment. Money the companies, and Huenya in general, did not have.
"You seem happy," a chirpy voice with a touch of sarcasm interrupted Atoacotl's thoughts. Catzahue, Atoacotl's counterpart at the newly created Huenyan Products Corporation, walked into the office with his usual swagger. HuenPro, like HG, was in an almost impossible position. Atoacotl had no idea how Catzahue could always be in such an optimistic mood. "I'm supposed to launch a consumer conglomerate to rival Mizhua and get people working again with broken machines, wrecked factories, and no money. And so are you. Your cheerfulness is....slightly deranged," Atoacotl said. "And don't you ever knock?"
"I tried to ask him, sir," Cihalchitli, Atoacotl's secretary, said in irritation from the doorway. Atoacotl sighed again and nodded in commiseration with her. Catzahue wasn't the type to take no for an answer; Atoacotl gave his secretary a wry smile of forgiveness before gesturing for her to shut the door.
"Formalities such as knocking are for people who have time to waste. We don't," Catzahue said. "You're right - we're all between the proverbial rock and hard place, with a bunch of junk and smashed-up buildings and no money. But there is a way to jumpstart this situation."
"How? Don't even say the government, such as it is - they've made it clear they have no funds to give us, only expectations for us to meet," Atoacotl said sourly, his last meeting with Huenyan officials still leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
"Pfft, the government. When have people like us ever relied on the government? I have a better idea. Whether it's the private sector or the public sector, Huenya needs funds to begin rebuilding. Seed money, if you will. We're essentially the biggest startup the world has ever seen, right now. And we need venture capital, of a sort. I have a way for us to find some."
Catzahue handed Atoacotl a folder. Atoacotl took the folder and opened it, reading through the documents aside. After a moment, he put the folder down. "A benefit festival?" he said at last. "That's the idea?"
"It is, and a damned good one, if I say so myself," Catzahue said, slightly stung by Atoacotl's dubious tone.
"So.....you want us to go begging the world for money? That sounds....distasteful," Atoacotl countered.
Catzahue grimaced in frustration. "It's that kind of pride that will keep us in the gutter. It's not wrong to admit you need help, and if anyone needs help right now, it's Huenya, especially after the number the Xiomerans did on us....sorry," he finished with a look of embarrassment on his face. Atoacotl, who was Xiomeran, gave his Tepiltzin counterpart a bemused look. "Don't be sorry....it's not like I claim those Xiomerans either," he replied. He picked up the folder again and began looking through it, as much out of renewed interest as giving Catzahue a chance to recover from his embarrassment. "This won't work if it's just some crass money grab. We have to appeal to people outside Huenya, and give them a reason to care about helping us. We have to......show they're helping actual people. Show they're helping to build a democracy," Atoacotl said, his voice warming as the wheels began to spin in his head. "We'll need to form a non-profit board, with members from all walks of life. Including foreigners, if they want to be on the board. We'll also need to let multiple accounting firms watch the books, and how the money's spent. The money raised will also need to go to a wide range of goals: rebuilding the economy, building democratic institutions like the new legislature, repairing and building infrastructure...."
"So, it sounds like you're in," Catzahue said eagerly.
Atoacotl sighed yet again. "Someone has to make sure your crazy dream actually works," he replied.
---
March 1st
Chuaztlapoc
The press conference one month later was being held at the ancient south gates of the old city wall of Chuaztlapoc. This was by design. The south gates of Chuzatlapoc had already gained worldwide renown as the place where the forces of what would become Huenya had achieved their first great victory and stopped the Xiomeran army from crushing their dream of freedom. At those gates, the newly formed board of the Huenyan Aid Corporation was set to make their first announcement. Catzahue, as the most animated speaker, was chosen to give the statement. He stood in front of a large banner that read Huenya Aid 2021, a sober expression on his face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. We are here to stand before the world in a much different fashion from what you are used to hearing, from this part of the world. But as Huenya begins its journey of independence towards becoming a full-fledged democracy, we must humbly admit to the world: we need your help. The destruction of war, coupled with the deliberate pillaging and destruction of our homeland by its former rulers, have severely damaged our nation. Thousands of people are out of work, with their workplaces stripped bare and even destroyed. Infrastructure has been brought to ruin. Schools, hospitals, clinics, businesses large and small....all are feeling the impact of this wanton destruction."
"For the first time in our history, a democratic and equal nation is emerging in Huenya. But this great accomplishment, which we all aspire to, is fragile and painful to achieve. The deprivation our nation is now facing due to the war and to the deliberate attempts to sabotage us threaten that dream. The emergence of a democratic state in Huenya is something that the people of Caxcana, and indeed the world, have hoped and dreamed for just as we have, to end the shadow of tyranny and imperialism that hangs over this part of the world. We're asking the world, today, to help us ensure that dream can be realized."
"The Huenya Aid Foundation, a non-profit foundation, will be staging a series of live events on March 28th, 2021 under the banner of Huenya Aid 2021. We will be holding artistic and musical events, as well as educational events, live throughout the day both on air and online. We are hoping the rest of the world will join us in this effort to raise funds throughout that day to benefit the following goals: rebuilding the economy, building democratic institutions, repairing and building infrastructure, and direct aid to Huenyans in need. We're pleased to announce that groups in the Slokais Islands have already committed to holding a series of events to feature music, movies and special guest speakers. We hope many more nations will join us in this historic effort."
"The people of Huenya are hardworking and industrious - we're not looking for a handout. The help you give us will help get us back on our feet, so that we can repay it by being a stable trading partner, a united society, and another nation to help lead the fight for equality and democracy with our neighbors. It will also benefit those who are suffering through no fault of their own due to the fires of war, and those who have lost loved ones or suffered physical or mental harm. I hope that more nations will join with us to help the suffering, to help Huenya recover from its fight for freedom, and build our nation into a great land to help champion the cause of democracy in the future. Thank you," Catzahue said, before stepping back to applause.
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