08-16-2018, 06:26 PM
Council of Kerlile Chamber
"Ms Alvarez will be tried according to Kerlian law," insisted Anita Patel.
"You promised me that Josie would be allowed to leave Kerlile if she chose," Jennifer begged.
"This is no longer a question of politics, Councillor Hale. This is a question of legality, and we cannot just flaunt the rules because of her relationship to you," argued Carmen Robinson. "In fact, with all your talk of democracy and "˜civil rights', I'm surprised you would ask us to."
Caught in their trap, and frustrated that they were using her own values against her, Jennifer stormed out of the chamber in a huff. She sat down on one of the benches next to a statue of her great-grandmother.
Jennifer had saved President Greenwood. Jennifer was not sure why. She tried to tell herself it was only instinct, or she was trying to save Josephine from the even worse punishment she'd have faced if she'd succeeded. Truthfully, though, she wasn't sure. And she knew that Josephine now hated her, she'd seen it in Josephine's eyes as she'd been dragged away.
Jennifer Hale had spent most of her life using the name Sonja, and for that period she had hated the Council just as much as the real Sonja Viratnen might have if she'd lived. Now she was back, and she felt like she'd just slipped back into her old life. It had been so easy to be different when she had been abroad. It wasn't so easy when surrounded by the memories of her family's past.
Josephine was being held in a standard Kerlian criminal prison, which was in some ways better than the political institutions, and in some ways worse. Letitia Greenwood had come up to her at the party after Josephine's attempt on her mother's life.
"Your little pet Lauchenoirian can either be placed with the rest of her ilk from the war or tried as a Kerlian. Your choice."
Jennifer knew where they'd take Josephine if they put her with the rest of the Lauchenoirian POWs. She was hardly a prime brainwashing candidate. "If it's a choice between acting like a good little Kerlian and vanishing into some hellhole... then I hope you'll do the decent thing and kill me gently."
If Josephine faced a Kerlian trial for attempted murder or assassination, she'd likely be executed. Jennifer couldn't face either prospect. But, she knew that if Josephine vanished beyond the Gates, she'd never get her out again. If Josephine faced a trial, there would be more opportunities for Jennifer to try something.
Jennifer stood up and, avoiding looking at the statue, walked over to the room where the Council's dedicated civil servants catered to the Councillors' every whim. As soon as she entered, one woman rushed over and stood in front of her, looking at the floor and indicating her willingness to serve. Jennifer noted with alarm that she didn't find the move as embarrassing as she had when she'd first returned.
"Where are you keeping the Lauchenoirians undergoing the brainwa... I mean, the re-education programme?"
"They are divided across seven facilities, Councillor Hale. I can provide you with a list, ma'am."
"Yes, fetch it immediately."
The woman scurried off and Jennifer glanced around the room. It looked like a standard office, apart from everyone bowing their heads in respect when she passed. Jennifer knew that these women had probably all carried out terrible deeds under the orders of the Council, but Jennifer couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for the women working there. She knew if they did anything other than obey completely, they'd probably end up dead and their families imprisoned.
"I have the list, Councillor!" the woman called, scurrying back.
"Thank you," Jennifer said, taking the paper.
"You are most welcome," replied the woman, surprised. Council members did not usually thank their office staff.
Jennifer read through the list, and selected the nearest. She went outside to where her driver was waiting. She told him the address and then sat in the back of the car. They drove through the streets of Grapevale, and Jennifer watched everyone scurry out the way as the Council branded car passed through. Soon, they were five miles south of the city.
Jennifer exited the vehicle and went over to the gates.
"I demand to see several of the Lauchenoirians being held here."
"Councillor!" the woman on guard said, looking a mix of horrified and terrified. "Of course, I'll... I'll... um..."
"Make arrangements?"
"Yes, of course!" the woman bowed and hurriedly picked up a phone, almost dropping it in her haste. Jennifer held herself in the manner of a Council member, hoping that if she acted the part, nobody would dare question her motives.
"You may enter," the woman said, bowing again and pressing a button. Another guard held a doorway in the gate open and Jennifer passed through, trying not to roll her eyes. Nobody searched her on the way in, nobody dared. She made a note of that fact.
"Councillor Hale! It is an honour to have you visiting our establishment," a woman who was clearly a high-ranking officer in the Kerlian Correctional System.
"I am here to inspect the programme prepared for the young Lauchenoirian women," Jennifer said. She didn't ask the woman her name. The woman would not expect it from a Councillor.
"Of course," the woman bowed slightly, "would you like to follow me?"
The pair, accompanied by two armed Kerlian guards, passed deeper into the prison. They walked along the ground floor, even though most of the facility was underground. They passed over a walkway that ran around above the canteen.
"Down there are those who have yet to voluntarily join our "˜film club'," the woman informed Jennifer, making quotation marks with her fingers around "˜film club'.
"When will you be starting phase two?" Jennifer asked, both relieved and annoyed that she still remembered how the programme worked.
"Tomorrow," the woman said, "we've had quite a high uptake, but some of this lot have been... stubborn. We believe only sixty percent will successfully respond to phase two. The rest will be taken back to the labour camp in the restricted zone with group two."
"Do you know how group two are progressing?"
"The last report I heard was that around seventeen are still holding out, but most of them have begun to comply. We have increased our... persuasive techniques on the hold-outs, but I am no expert in the activities of the restricted zone, ma'am."
Jennifer resisted the urge to order the woman to not let a single one of the people below them end up in the restricted zone. She knew the Council would find out, and if she wanted to help these people, she'd have to play the game a little longer.
"Would you like to see the members of the "˜film club'?"
"Yes, I would. How far along are they?"
"We have a Maximusian girl who has been here for a number of years, and she is proving effective in encouraging more members to join. She was placed in this facility in order to increase success in phase one."
"Knowingly or unknowingly?"
"The latter. She is an avid believer in Kerlile. Her genuine belief makes her persuasive efforts more successful. There are several Lauchenoirians already close to completion. One Lauchenoirian girl is already voluntarily reporting all the anti-Kerlian statements her cellmate makes."
"Is the cellmate down there now?"
"No, she is also in the "˜film club', but it's taking a lot longer to work on her. Unless she begins to respond soon, she will be moved to the phase two group. There are several more like her."
Kerlian Prison, south of Grapevale
Leonie finished counting to one hundred in French and began in German. She wasn't even nearly fluent in either language, but it meant she had to concentrate more than if she'd counted in English or Spanish. And the more she concentrated on the counting, the less she concentrated on the propaganda film.
There was no clock in the room, but Leonie knew from experience that the hour was almost up. Helena next to her had joined Myriam in eagerly staring at the screen. Leonie had been trying to counter the propaganda to Helena when they were in their cell, but Helena was starting to sound more Kerlian by the day.
The film ended, and the group began to stand up, when one of the Kerlian guards walked in and gestured everyone to sit back down. This was unusual, and Leonie started to feel a little worried.
"We have someone visiting this institution today who wishes to see you. Throughout the duration of this visit, you will not speak unless spoken to. You will not make eye contact with our guest. You will not move from your seat. Any deviation from these instructions and you will be shot."
Leonie was now incredibly curious. The Kerlians were normally not quite so brazen with their death threats. She joined the others in staring at her knees in their identical rows. As the guest entered, she couldn't help but try and look.
She couldn't see above the guest's waist without moving her head, and by this point there were about twelve guards, all with their guns trained on them.
"You may look up, I wish to see your faces," came a familiar voice. Leonie's head shot up, heedless of the danger. The rest of the group raised theirs slower. Leonie looked up at Sonja Alvarez, dressed in the Council of Kerlile robes Leonie recognised from the propaganda film.
Myriam squeaked and bowed in her seat. Helena excitedly copied the gesture, along with some of the others. Sonja glanced over the crowd. When she reached Leonie, her eyes went wide. Leonie's expression mirrored it. The two stared at each other briefly, both like animals caught in headlights.
"Councillor? Is this prisoner distressing you?" one of the guards asked, pointing her weapon at Leonie's head.
"No, sorry, I... thank you for having me, I must go now," Sonja said, running out the room.
Resistance HQ, Elopolis
"We have important information," said one of the students.
"We are about to attend peace talks, this better not be something that would jeopardise them," Victoria Juárez pointed out.
"No, it won't. In fact, I'm not quite sure what it means for us, but I think you should have it."
"What is it?" Laura Moore asked.
"We intercepted an email from Yousef Chaher using his university email to contact his flatmate. He sent some black ops guy into Carville to deliver a blood sample for his flatmate to analyse. We believe it to be taken from his father."
"Suleman Chaher's blood? And this interests us how?" Juárez asked.
"The results of the tests. We let the flatmate carry out the tests, and the results imply that Suleman Chaher did not die as a result of his wounds. In fact, Suleman Chaher was poisoned. I have a copy of the results here."
The entire room fell into a stunned silence. Eventually Laura Moore reached over and took the piece of paper off the student. She read through it, even though she didn't understand enough of the science for it to make sense.
"By who?" she asked eventually.
"We don't know."
"Who had access?"
"We don't know."
"Was it one of us?"
"Not as far as I know," Juárez said.
The silence returned, until Laura Moore spoke.
"We absolutely have to find out."
"Ms Alvarez will be tried according to Kerlian law," insisted Anita Patel.
"You promised me that Josie would be allowed to leave Kerlile if she chose," Jennifer begged.
"This is no longer a question of politics, Councillor Hale. This is a question of legality, and we cannot just flaunt the rules because of her relationship to you," argued Carmen Robinson. "In fact, with all your talk of democracy and "˜civil rights', I'm surprised you would ask us to."
Caught in their trap, and frustrated that they were using her own values against her, Jennifer stormed out of the chamber in a huff. She sat down on one of the benches next to a statue of her great-grandmother.
Jennifer had saved President Greenwood. Jennifer was not sure why. She tried to tell herself it was only instinct, or she was trying to save Josephine from the even worse punishment she'd have faced if she'd succeeded. Truthfully, though, she wasn't sure. And she knew that Josephine now hated her, she'd seen it in Josephine's eyes as she'd been dragged away.
Jennifer Hale had spent most of her life using the name Sonja, and for that period she had hated the Council just as much as the real Sonja Viratnen might have if she'd lived. Now she was back, and she felt like she'd just slipped back into her old life. It had been so easy to be different when she had been abroad. It wasn't so easy when surrounded by the memories of her family's past.
Josephine was being held in a standard Kerlian criminal prison, which was in some ways better than the political institutions, and in some ways worse. Letitia Greenwood had come up to her at the party after Josephine's attempt on her mother's life.
"Your little pet Lauchenoirian can either be placed with the rest of her ilk from the war or tried as a Kerlian. Your choice."
Jennifer knew where they'd take Josephine if they put her with the rest of the Lauchenoirian POWs. She was hardly a prime brainwashing candidate. "If it's a choice between acting like a good little Kerlian and vanishing into some hellhole... then I hope you'll do the decent thing and kill me gently."
If Josephine faced a Kerlian trial for attempted murder or assassination, she'd likely be executed. Jennifer couldn't face either prospect. But, she knew that if Josephine vanished beyond the Gates, she'd never get her out again. If Josephine faced a trial, there would be more opportunities for Jennifer to try something.
Jennifer stood up and, avoiding looking at the statue, walked over to the room where the Council's dedicated civil servants catered to the Councillors' every whim. As soon as she entered, one woman rushed over and stood in front of her, looking at the floor and indicating her willingness to serve. Jennifer noted with alarm that she didn't find the move as embarrassing as she had when she'd first returned.
"Where are you keeping the Lauchenoirians undergoing the brainwa... I mean, the re-education programme?"
"They are divided across seven facilities, Councillor Hale. I can provide you with a list, ma'am."
"Yes, fetch it immediately."
The woman scurried off and Jennifer glanced around the room. It looked like a standard office, apart from everyone bowing their heads in respect when she passed. Jennifer knew that these women had probably all carried out terrible deeds under the orders of the Council, but Jennifer couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for the women working there. She knew if they did anything other than obey completely, they'd probably end up dead and their families imprisoned.
"I have the list, Councillor!" the woman called, scurrying back.
"Thank you," Jennifer said, taking the paper.
"You are most welcome," replied the woman, surprised. Council members did not usually thank their office staff.
Jennifer read through the list, and selected the nearest. She went outside to where her driver was waiting. She told him the address and then sat in the back of the car. They drove through the streets of Grapevale, and Jennifer watched everyone scurry out the way as the Council branded car passed through. Soon, they were five miles south of the city.
Jennifer exited the vehicle and went over to the gates.
"I demand to see several of the Lauchenoirians being held here."
"Councillor!" the woman on guard said, looking a mix of horrified and terrified. "Of course, I'll... I'll... um..."
"Make arrangements?"
"Yes, of course!" the woman bowed and hurriedly picked up a phone, almost dropping it in her haste. Jennifer held herself in the manner of a Council member, hoping that if she acted the part, nobody would dare question her motives.
"You may enter," the woman said, bowing again and pressing a button. Another guard held a doorway in the gate open and Jennifer passed through, trying not to roll her eyes. Nobody searched her on the way in, nobody dared. She made a note of that fact.
"Councillor Hale! It is an honour to have you visiting our establishment," a woman who was clearly a high-ranking officer in the Kerlian Correctional System.
"I am here to inspect the programme prepared for the young Lauchenoirian women," Jennifer said. She didn't ask the woman her name. The woman would not expect it from a Councillor.
"Of course," the woman bowed slightly, "would you like to follow me?"
The pair, accompanied by two armed Kerlian guards, passed deeper into the prison. They walked along the ground floor, even though most of the facility was underground. They passed over a walkway that ran around above the canteen.
"Down there are those who have yet to voluntarily join our "˜film club'," the woman informed Jennifer, making quotation marks with her fingers around "˜film club'.
"When will you be starting phase two?" Jennifer asked, both relieved and annoyed that she still remembered how the programme worked.
"Tomorrow," the woman said, "we've had quite a high uptake, but some of this lot have been... stubborn. We believe only sixty percent will successfully respond to phase two. The rest will be taken back to the labour camp in the restricted zone with group two."
"Do you know how group two are progressing?"
"The last report I heard was that around seventeen are still holding out, but most of them have begun to comply. We have increased our... persuasive techniques on the hold-outs, but I am no expert in the activities of the restricted zone, ma'am."
Jennifer resisted the urge to order the woman to not let a single one of the people below them end up in the restricted zone. She knew the Council would find out, and if she wanted to help these people, she'd have to play the game a little longer.
"Would you like to see the members of the "˜film club'?"
"Yes, I would. How far along are they?"
"We have a Maximusian girl who has been here for a number of years, and she is proving effective in encouraging more members to join. She was placed in this facility in order to increase success in phase one."
"Knowingly or unknowingly?"
"The latter. She is an avid believer in Kerlile. Her genuine belief makes her persuasive efforts more successful. There are several Lauchenoirians already close to completion. One Lauchenoirian girl is already voluntarily reporting all the anti-Kerlian statements her cellmate makes."
"Is the cellmate down there now?"
"No, she is also in the "˜film club', but it's taking a lot longer to work on her. Unless she begins to respond soon, she will be moved to the phase two group. There are several more like her."
Kerlian Prison, south of Grapevale
Leonie finished counting to one hundred in French and began in German. She wasn't even nearly fluent in either language, but it meant she had to concentrate more than if she'd counted in English or Spanish. And the more she concentrated on the counting, the less she concentrated on the propaganda film.
There was no clock in the room, but Leonie knew from experience that the hour was almost up. Helena next to her had joined Myriam in eagerly staring at the screen. Leonie had been trying to counter the propaganda to Helena when they were in their cell, but Helena was starting to sound more Kerlian by the day.
The film ended, and the group began to stand up, when one of the Kerlian guards walked in and gestured everyone to sit back down. This was unusual, and Leonie started to feel a little worried.
"We have someone visiting this institution today who wishes to see you. Throughout the duration of this visit, you will not speak unless spoken to. You will not make eye contact with our guest. You will not move from your seat. Any deviation from these instructions and you will be shot."
Leonie was now incredibly curious. The Kerlians were normally not quite so brazen with their death threats. She joined the others in staring at her knees in their identical rows. As the guest entered, she couldn't help but try and look.
She couldn't see above the guest's waist without moving her head, and by this point there were about twelve guards, all with their guns trained on them.
"You may look up, I wish to see your faces," came a familiar voice. Leonie's head shot up, heedless of the danger. The rest of the group raised theirs slower. Leonie looked up at Sonja Alvarez, dressed in the Council of Kerlile robes Leonie recognised from the propaganda film.
Myriam squeaked and bowed in her seat. Helena excitedly copied the gesture, along with some of the others. Sonja glanced over the crowd. When she reached Leonie, her eyes went wide. Leonie's expression mirrored it. The two stared at each other briefly, both like animals caught in headlights.
"Councillor? Is this prisoner distressing you?" one of the guards asked, pointing her weapon at Leonie's head.
"No, sorry, I... thank you for having me, I must go now," Sonja said, running out the room.
Resistance HQ, Elopolis
"We have important information," said one of the students.
"We are about to attend peace talks, this better not be something that would jeopardise them," Victoria Juárez pointed out.
"No, it won't. In fact, I'm not quite sure what it means for us, but I think you should have it."
"What is it?" Laura Moore asked.
"We intercepted an email from Yousef Chaher using his university email to contact his flatmate. He sent some black ops guy into Carville to deliver a blood sample for his flatmate to analyse. We believe it to be taken from his father."
"Suleman Chaher's blood? And this interests us how?" Juárez asked.
"The results of the tests. We let the flatmate carry out the tests, and the results imply that Suleman Chaher did not die as a result of his wounds. In fact, Suleman Chaher was poisoned. I have a copy of the results here."
The entire room fell into a stunned silence. Eventually Laura Moore reached over and took the piece of paper off the student. She read through it, even though she didn't understand enough of the science for it to make sense.
"By who?" she asked eventually.
"We don't know."
"Who had access?"
"We don't know."
"Was it one of us?"
"Not as far as I know," Juárez said.
The silence returned, until Laura Moore spoke.
"We absolutely have to find out."
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax