[Laeral]

"Everything we're seeing right now points to a coup in Lauchenoiria," Jerome Ferrand said. He was a short man, dark-haired, and completely-average looking. He was also the Director of the Bureau of External Action, Laeral's spy service. President Brennan disliked the man, but he leaned forward to listen as the man spoke.
"In Lauchenoirian government right now, there's three major political figures that are in hiding. Lauchenoiria has a full parliamentary system, with a directly elected figurehead as President and the Prime Minister as the head of state. Prime Minister Moore's missing, and none of my people have heard anything about her since she disappeared. The fact that she hasn't made a public appearance indicates that she's scared of showing herself."
Foreign Minister Beringer nodded, signaling to Brennan that she'd heard the same thing. "My counterpart, Foreign Secretary Alvarez, also hasn't appeared. President Walker is outside of the country, but her schedule hasn't been released to the public."
"We haven't been able to get confirmation of her location," Ferrand said, "despite my people's best efforts. Lauchenoiria hasn't been a focus for our efforts, so we're undermanned there."
"But it's the President's role to confirm the Prime Minister," Nicholas Brennan said. "If Suleman Chaher wants legitimacy, he's going to need her approval. Can we assume that he's also going to try to find her?"
Jerome Ferrand nodded. "Almost certainly."
"And then we've got Aeluria's declaration of independence." Brennan said.
"That's right," Foreign Minister Beringer said. "They've always been separate from the mainland, based on their religious beliefs. A majority of Aelurians practice a religion called Lurian, while the majority of mainland Lauchenoirians are atheists. At this point, their independence declaration is just a way to seize the opportunity to act while the government's distracted."
"So President Walker needs to act," Brennan said. "Laura Moore can't do anything while she's in hiding. Leanna Walker was directly elected, so she's the most legitimate political figure left standing. I don't think that she'll stay quiet while her Prime Minister is overthrown and her country falls apart. If I were a betting man, I'd say that she's going to make a statement soon."
"Mr. President," Ferrand said, "I agree, but I'd like a confirmation of our views on Chaher versus Moore, as well as the independence declaration. Are we staking a claim in favor of Moore and the central government?"
"Stability benefits our aims in the region," President Brennan said. "Lauchenoiria's government is pacifistic, but stable. It's better for Laeral if they stay that way."
"Our primary interests in Lauchenoiria are economic," Beringer said. "We need stability if we want to keep accessing their markets. And a neutral, pacifist Lauchenoiria is better than an isolationist one."
"We can't get drawn in, though," President Brenna said. "The People's Party is already hitting me on foreign policy. We can't get drawn in to a major conflict here. We'll offer Moore, Walker, any Lauchenoirian politicians refuge at our embassy or in Laeral itself, but nothing more. Madam Minister, can you write a statement saying that we support a peaceful solution in Lauchenoiria that reflects the interests of the people- something like that- and that Lauchenoirian officials are safe with us?"
"I'll make it happen," she said.
"Good. Mr. Ferrand, tell your people to keep their eyes open, but not to do anything rash. I want reports from them daily."
"Okay. If I can get someone close to Chaher, should I do so?"
It took Brennan only a second to decide. "Tell them to do it if they can, but to just watch and listen."
"It'll be done." Ferrand replied, and left.