06-22-2018, 09:48 PM
Fleurian Forest, 4am
Josephine Alvarez thanked the messenger and then walked to the main camp, leaving Sonja curled up asleep. Peter and Rayna were on watch, but when she got to the camp, Rayna was nowhere to be seen, and Peter was asleep.
"Peter, wake up," she shook him. He didn't respond. "Peter?"
She rolled him onto his back and checked his pulse. He was still breathing. She tried once more to shake him awake, but only managed to dislodge an empty bottle of prescription sleeping pills from under his sleeping form.
"Laura Moore," she read off the label on the bottle. Then she swore, as Rayna sauntered back into the camp.
"Where the hell were you? And where is Moore?" Josephine confronted Rayna.
"I just went for a walk! It's a lovely night!"
"Are you high?" Josephine asked Rayna. Rayna giggled. "Just where is Laura getting all these drugs from?"
She ran back to her and Sonja's camp, and woke her wife. As Sonja stretched, Josephine had already run through seven possible scenarios, all bad.
"Moore's gone."
-------------------------
Fleurian Forest, 6am
Laura Moore walked alone through the Fleurian Forest, towards Buttercity. She knew that drugging Peter and Rayna was a terrible idea, and so was going to the capital, but she just couldn't leave her children in Chaher's hands.
He was evil, but he was right about one thing "“ family is important. And with her husband... no, she wouldn't think of that. The time for mourning would come. If she lived that long. She'd been alone for four hours, she had to assume they wouldn't catch her up. She was terrified, but she knew this was what she had to do.
It would take days to get to the city on foot, but when she did, she knew Chaher would consider it a huge victory. She hated that, but it couldn't be helped. She had made her choices, to go into politics, to have children while in office, to take all these risks. And now the worst was happening, and she had to face the consequences.
------------------------
Elopolis, 6am
In the basement of a house in Elopolis, a meeting was taking place. First Minister Victoria Juárez looked around as most of her cabinet assembled. She also looked nervously to the door, since Chaher had dissolved the provincial parliaments, holding this meeting was technically illegal. Once she was sure nobody else was going to show, she began in Spanish.
"I have called you here today because I think we are all in agreement: this situation cannot go on. Suleman Chaher is attacking the fundamental principles of our democracy. As of right now... it doesn't even exist. And our country is the epicentre of an international conflict, caused by his actions.
We were elected to represent the people of Ulinaria Province, and we can't do that while he is in power. I know you've all seen the videos of Annatown and Carville. But neither of those cities had the full weight of the provincial government behind them. We have a duty to our people, despite the risks.
We know there is a resistance forming here. We can give it legitimacy. In all likelihood, local and provincial police will be on our side if it comes to conflict. We can strike a blow against this regime. Thoughts?"
A murmur went around the room. Eventually, Culture Minister Ovidio Roldán spoke up.
"You're right, we have a duty to our people. And if we come out against Chaher, he'll send the military in and our people will start dying. How can that be the right thing to do?"
"If Chaher wins this war, our people will suffer for far longer. We've already seen him lock people up for the most trivial things. What makes you think he won't start killing us anyway?"
The debate went on through the hours until eventually it was put to a vote.
"So, with 9 in favour and 6 against, the motion carries. I will contact the resistance leader tomorrow. And to the 6 who voted against, I understand your concerns. You have two days, get out of the city if you want. Get out of the province. Just don't betray our trust, or you have my word: I will find you."
She looked each one in the eye before they left, to be sure they heard her warning.
---------------------
North of Summersea, 8am
General Eduardo Sanchez watched Colonel Chloe Conde out of the corner of his eye. He distrusted Kerlians as a rule, not least because they looked at him like he was less than them somehow. And Conde... well, there was something about that one.
Conde pinned a loose strand of hair on top of her head and marched over to Sanchez.
"Just what exactly are we waiting for?" she demanded.
"Orders, Colonel," he responded calmly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"In war, one expects to actually see some fighting. Your Prime Minister does understand that, right? I'm sure President Greenwood would be happy to explain the principle of war to him."
"I am well aware of the principle of war, Colonel."
"It doesn't seem like it. Your country hasn't been in a proper war since you interfered with our internal affairs back in the 90s. And need I remind you, you lost."
"I am aware, Colonel."
"Next time, you could make it clearer. And just so you know, we're no happier about being here than you are."
She walked away, leaving Sanchez to his deliberations. He knew it was only a matter of time before they attacked the Coalition. And if it would get him away from Chloe Conde, he couldn't wait.
Josephine Alvarez thanked the messenger and then walked to the main camp, leaving Sonja curled up asleep. Peter and Rayna were on watch, but when she got to the camp, Rayna was nowhere to be seen, and Peter was asleep.
"Peter, wake up," she shook him. He didn't respond. "Peter?"
She rolled him onto his back and checked his pulse. He was still breathing. She tried once more to shake him awake, but only managed to dislodge an empty bottle of prescription sleeping pills from under his sleeping form.
"Laura Moore," she read off the label on the bottle. Then she swore, as Rayna sauntered back into the camp.
"Where the hell were you? And where is Moore?" Josephine confronted Rayna.
"I just went for a walk! It's a lovely night!"
"Are you high?" Josephine asked Rayna. Rayna giggled. "Just where is Laura getting all these drugs from?"
She ran back to her and Sonja's camp, and woke her wife. As Sonja stretched, Josephine had already run through seven possible scenarios, all bad.
"Moore's gone."
-------------------------
Fleurian Forest, 6am
Laura Moore walked alone through the Fleurian Forest, towards Buttercity. She knew that drugging Peter and Rayna was a terrible idea, and so was going to the capital, but she just couldn't leave her children in Chaher's hands.
He was evil, but he was right about one thing "“ family is important. And with her husband... no, she wouldn't think of that. The time for mourning would come. If she lived that long. She'd been alone for four hours, she had to assume they wouldn't catch her up. She was terrified, but she knew this was what she had to do.
It would take days to get to the city on foot, but when she did, she knew Chaher would consider it a huge victory. She hated that, but it couldn't be helped. She had made her choices, to go into politics, to have children while in office, to take all these risks. And now the worst was happening, and she had to face the consequences.
------------------------
Elopolis, 6am
In the basement of a house in Elopolis, a meeting was taking place. First Minister Victoria Juárez looked around as most of her cabinet assembled. She also looked nervously to the door, since Chaher had dissolved the provincial parliaments, holding this meeting was technically illegal. Once she was sure nobody else was going to show, she began in Spanish.
"I have called you here today because I think we are all in agreement: this situation cannot go on. Suleman Chaher is attacking the fundamental principles of our democracy. As of right now... it doesn't even exist. And our country is the epicentre of an international conflict, caused by his actions.
We were elected to represent the people of Ulinaria Province, and we can't do that while he is in power. I know you've all seen the videos of Annatown and Carville. But neither of those cities had the full weight of the provincial government behind them. We have a duty to our people, despite the risks.
We know there is a resistance forming here. We can give it legitimacy. In all likelihood, local and provincial police will be on our side if it comes to conflict. We can strike a blow against this regime. Thoughts?"
A murmur went around the room. Eventually, Culture Minister Ovidio Roldán spoke up.
"You're right, we have a duty to our people. And if we come out against Chaher, he'll send the military in and our people will start dying. How can that be the right thing to do?"
"If Chaher wins this war, our people will suffer for far longer. We've already seen him lock people up for the most trivial things. What makes you think he won't start killing us anyway?"
The debate went on through the hours until eventually it was put to a vote.
"So, with 9 in favour and 6 against, the motion carries. I will contact the resistance leader tomorrow. And to the 6 who voted against, I understand your concerns. You have two days, get out of the city if you want. Get out of the province. Just don't betray our trust, or you have my word: I will find you."
She looked each one in the eye before they left, to be sure they heard her warning.
---------------------
North of Summersea, 8am
General Eduardo Sanchez watched Colonel Chloe Conde out of the corner of his eye. He distrusted Kerlians as a rule, not least because they looked at him like he was less than them somehow. And Conde... well, there was something about that one.
Conde pinned a loose strand of hair on top of her head and marched over to Sanchez.
"Just what exactly are we waiting for?" she demanded.
"Orders, Colonel," he responded calmly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"In war, one expects to actually see some fighting. Your Prime Minister does understand that, right? I'm sure President Greenwood would be happy to explain the principle of war to him."
"I am well aware of the principle of war, Colonel."
"It doesn't seem like it. Your country hasn't been in a proper war since you interfered with our internal affairs back in the 90s. And need I remind you, you lost."
"I am aware, Colonel."
"Next time, you could make it clearer. And just so you know, we're no happier about being here than you are."
She walked away, leaving Sanchez to his deliberations. He knew it was only a matter of time before they attacked the Coalition. And if it would get him away from Chloe Conde, he couldn't wait.
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