09-17-2018, 02:41 PM
Councillor Anita Patel of Kerlile squeezed the metal pen in her hand so hard half expected it to snap as easily as the plastic one she'd broken when she first heard the Josephine Alvarez clause in the Accords. If Rebecca Arnott had her way, any "˜final comments' would be her last in international relations. Patel knew she could not say anything that wouldn't hurt her more than it would help. So, she remained silent.
On the same side of the table, Charissa Clarke ought to have felt the same way. But it had slowly occurred to her that Kerlile would view what had happened here as a failure on her part, and Lauchenoiria would hardly welcome her with open arms. Charissa Clarke was panicking, and in panic she decided to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, speaking slightly too fast, "I believe that this conflict has to end and as such it is fully necessary that we sign these Accords, but I hope that Sanctaria can indeed ensure the fairness of any subsequent elections. It would be a great shame if Laura Moore was allowed to return to power after everything she has done. That is all."
Clarke had been trained her whole life to act the perfect little politician, but right now all she felt was an animal fight or flight instinct, like she was right back where she had been at two years old, before all this started. She couldn't even make eye contact across the table.
Laura Moore had noticed this, and took great pleasure in staring down the visibly uncomfortable Clarke. Any sympathy she might once have felt had been wiped away by all she'd seen in this war. Once, Charissa Clarke would have been an almost pitiful figure to Moore's old pacifist self. Now, she was only the person who had ordered Leanna Walker shot.
"I thank Mr Robert Smyth for his patience in conducting these negotiations. I hope that now we can begin to rebuild our nation after this devastating war."
Laura Moore could have spoken for several hours, but it had been decided that the wisest course of action would be to refrain from any further criticism of the Accords or the peace process. In which case, Laura Moore had no more to say.
Keitha Noguera felt calmer inside than she had in months. She still mourned for Anael, but she was an optimist at heart, and she was optimistic about the future of Lauchenoiria. For all her desires for Aelurian independence, she had always wanted what was best for both the island and the wider Federation.
Or perhaps Nazario Macías, who had declined to sit by her side to finalise the Accords, had been right. He had called her an opportunist, and refused to support her for one more moment. Noguera saw a kind of bitter irony in this, since he had been the one pushing her to give up throughout the war. Inside, though, she felt that she was doing the right thing. And that was all that mattered.
"I believe we are all in agreement," she smiled to the room, fully aware that her statement was only true because nobody really had any choice. "So, shall we finalise the agreement?"
On the same side of the table, Charissa Clarke ought to have felt the same way. But it had slowly occurred to her that Kerlile would view what had happened here as a failure on her part, and Lauchenoiria would hardly welcome her with open arms. Charissa Clarke was panicking, and in panic she decided to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, speaking slightly too fast, "I believe that this conflict has to end and as such it is fully necessary that we sign these Accords, but I hope that Sanctaria can indeed ensure the fairness of any subsequent elections. It would be a great shame if Laura Moore was allowed to return to power after everything she has done. That is all."
Clarke had been trained her whole life to act the perfect little politician, but right now all she felt was an animal fight or flight instinct, like she was right back where she had been at two years old, before all this started. She couldn't even make eye contact across the table.
Laura Moore had noticed this, and took great pleasure in staring down the visibly uncomfortable Clarke. Any sympathy she might once have felt had been wiped away by all she'd seen in this war. Once, Charissa Clarke would have been an almost pitiful figure to Moore's old pacifist self. Now, she was only the person who had ordered Leanna Walker shot.
"I thank Mr Robert Smyth for his patience in conducting these negotiations. I hope that now we can begin to rebuild our nation after this devastating war."
Laura Moore could have spoken for several hours, but it had been decided that the wisest course of action would be to refrain from any further criticism of the Accords or the peace process. In which case, Laura Moore had no more to say.
Keitha Noguera felt calmer inside than she had in months. She still mourned for Anael, but she was an optimist at heart, and she was optimistic about the future of Lauchenoiria. For all her desires for Aelurian independence, she had always wanted what was best for both the island and the wider Federation.
Or perhaps Nazario Macías, who had declined to sit by her side to finalise the Accords, had been right. He had called her an opportunist, and refused to support her for one more moment. Noguera saw a kind of bitter irony in this, since he had been the one pushing her to give up throughout the war. Inside, though, she felt that she was doing the right thing. And that was all that mattered.
"I believe we are all in agreement," she smiled to the room, fully aware that her statement was only true because nobody really had any choice. "So, shall we finalise the agreement?"
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