07-30-2019, 05:27 PM
Council of Kerlile Chamber, Grapevale, Kerlile
30th July 2019 – morning
The Council Chamber was half-empty. Councillor Robinson had refrained from attending any sessions since the TRC verdicts. She had been looking forward to Pierre’s incarceration, everyone knew, and was disappointed in the verdict. So, she avoided Pierre – who was taking every occasion to gloat, and to accuse Robinson of treason.
“If nobody else will be in attendance, we shall begin,” announced Councillor Lia Chiu, second in seniority to Patel and the new Chair of the Council. She glanced around the room at Hale, Pierre, Georgiou and the young Arnott.
“Are we not expecting Letitia and Natalia?” queried Councillor Pauline Pierre, referring to Councillors Greenwood and Hart.
“Natalia’s at a religious service,” said Hale, taking a sip of her coffee. “The Festival of the Goddess is in a couple of weeks. I don’t know about Letitia though.”
“She should be here,” insisted Pierre.
“You’re just saying that because you know your little faction doesn’t have a majority right now,” pointed out Rosemary Arnott.
Councillor Pierre narrowed her eyes at the teenage Arnott, opening her mouth to retort, when the door opened and Letitia Greenwood entered, trailed by Lucia Viallamando, the latter yawning and looking rather dishevelled.
“We apologise for our lateness,” Letitia announced loudly, taking her seat. Viallamando winced at the sound of the voice and collapsed into her own chair, resting her head in her arms on the table in front of her.
“Whoa, is she hungover!?” asked Rosemary, staring at Viallamando.
“It’s considered impolite to point that out,” Hale informed the young Councillor, who just shrugged. Several of the Councillors glowered at the young Arnott with contempt. She violated the Council’s normal rules of decorum for seemingly no reason. Hale, of course, violated them in protest against the system, but Rosemary’s disrespect was almost incidental, and clearly purposeless.
“If we could begin?” Councillor Chiu asked sharply, and the room fell silent as they turned towards her. “First on the agenda is the matter of serial killer Jasmine Eddington. The Federation of Lauchenoiria has refused our request for extradition. They are presently holding her on immigration charges but they will have to release her on Sunday. If she is let loose in Lauchenoiria, she will kill again, and undoubtedly we will somehow get the blame.”
“We ought to send someone to retrieve her,” suggested Pierre. “The Lauchenoirians might get touchy just now but in the long term they’ll thank us.”
“And risk the ire of the Sanctarian peacekeepers who are still in Lauchenoiria? I think not,” scoffed Georgiou, stirring her tea. Greenwood leaned away from her slightly, the pungent smell of the tea irritating her. Nobody was quite sure what kind of tea Georgiou was drinking this week, she had a new variety every few weeks.
“There’s still a chance Lauchenoiria will give her back, right? We’ve got KBS to put out that article today, right? The one with the families? That’ll change their minds probably, and it’ll be okay,” Rosemary said hopefully.
“Josephine will not extradite Eddington.”
Jennifer Hale spoke loudly and clearly, in a manner that said she was not open to argument.
“But surely if she sees what Eddington was like…” Arnott began, then trailed off when Hale shot her a glare.
“Josephine Alvarez has no reason to extradite to Kerlile, and every reason to refuse us. Or have you forgotten last year? You took her hostage, tortured her to get to me. She despises this country, and there is no way she would do anything to help us. She knows from experience what our prisons are like, can you blame her for refusing to send someone back to one? No, as long as Alvarez is Prime Minister, Lauchenoiria will not extradite Jasmine Eddington.”
“Then what do we do?” asked Letitia Greenwood.
“We move on. They’ll learn or they won’t,” Hale said firmly, looking to Chiu. After a few moment’s silence, Chiu nodded and shuffled the paper in front of her.
“Item two: a proposal to temporarily lift the ban on international travel for those wishing to visit Shuell as spectators during the IDU Olympics. We have discussed this before, however a vote must be taken. Does anyone have anything further to add before we proceed to a vote?”
“I think this is going to go a long way to improving our international image,” said Georgiou. Hale and Arnott nodded in agreement.
“We cannot allow males to leave, however, they will not return,” pointed out Pierre.
“We’ve amended the proposal so only female citizens will be allowed to travel, Pauline,” Hale informed her, sighing slightly. She disliked compromise.
“In which case, can we proceed to a vote?” asked Chiu, keen to get this session over with. She had an expensive bottle of imported wine to get to. She’d been stockpiling Lauchenoirian wine in anticipation of trade sanctions. “I will take the lack of objection as consent.”
The Kerlian civil servant lurking in the corner stepped forward. She rubbed at the scar on her arm, eyeing Councillor Pierre nervously. She didn’t want to end up like her predecessor.
“The motion is to temporarily lift the ban on international travel for female Kerlian civilians wishing to travel to Shuell during the IDU Olympics. Votes will now be counted.”
The Council had been through seventeen vote counters since the attempted vote of no confidence in Patel at the end of last August. Ironically, the vote counter present on that day was the only one who still lived. She had been hidden by Councillor Hale. Her successors had met a variety of unfortunate fates, most of which had been attributed to Councillor Patel. Very few in Kerlile were sad to see the back of her.
“Councillor Arnott?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Chiu?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Georgiou?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Greenwood?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Hale?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Hart is absent. Her abstention has been noted. Councillor Patel is, uh, also absent. This has been noted. Councillor Pierre?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Robinson’s absence has been noted. Councillor Viallamando?”
“Ugh can you be quieter? I abstain!”
“With six votes in favour and four abstentions or absences, the motion carries,” the woman said, then returned to hiding in her corner, relieved. No votes against meant that nobody was likely to punish her.
“Before we move on,” said Chiu, “we must mention briefly security arrangements for Councillors Georgiou and Greenwood. Both of you plan to go to Shuell, am I correct?”
“That is correct,” nodded Letitia. She was an avid sports fan, enough that she had overcome her dislike of foreign travel on several occasions. Georgiou just enjoyed any opportunity to visit new countries.
“We are waiting for final confirmation from Shuell but it appears that we may be limited to three security personnel per Councillor with one sidearm each.”
“You are kidding me, right!?” Letitia looked outraged.
“The Shuellians will also be ‘generously’ providing their own security.”
“Watching us, you mean?” Letitia growled. “Goddess, this is going to be a mistake. If we die you’ll nuke Shuell, right?”
“That’s not going to happen, Letitia,” said Hale. “And you’ve read the reports on a war with Shuell. Avoid at all costs.”
Letitia opened her mouth to retort, but Chiu held up her arms.
“We will discuss this later. Next item on the agenda: the Patel succession. With Anita due to be extradited following this session, we must decide if we are to allow Nirmala to take her place immediately.”
“If Anita isn’t dead, it would be rude of us to give away her seat,” pointed out Rosemary.
“Yes, however, we passed that emergency act providing for a daughter to take her mother’s place temporarily in the event of incapacitation or foreign incarceration six months ago. We must follow through,” insisted Pierre.
“Well, you see the thing is…” Hale interrupted, and continued. The Council would debate the Patel succession for around an hour before voting to allow Nirmala to take the Patel seat once confirmation of her mother’s arrival in Sanctaria was received.
*
Unidentified Airport, Kerlile
30th July 2019 – afternoon
The woman scanned the horizon and was relieved at the stillness. They had cleared the area so that the only vehicles passing this way would be those transporting the prisoners. The airplane sat on the runway, waiting. The airport was surrounded by armed guards, with not a male in sight.
President Arnott walked along the tarmac, flanked by guards.
“How long?” she asked the woman.
“The transport should be here momentarily, ma’am,” said the woman.
“Good,” the President replied.
Soon, the row of vans came into view. They stopped near to where the President and her entourage stood.
“Patel last,” ordered President Arnott.
“Yes, ma’am,” said the woman. The door of one van opened, and Chloe Conde was brought out in handcuffs. She was considerably skinnier than when she’d first been arrested, months before when she had tried to flee Kerlile. She seemed almost to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw the plane.
“Better a Sanctarian prison than a Kerlian one,” she muttered to herself, kicking a stone. President Arnott nodded toward the plane, and Conde was led off.
Littlewood and Casci had similar reactions when they were led out, though they hadn’t spent nearly as long in a Kerlian prison as Conde. When Chevroux was brought out, however, the woman had a rather more violent reaction, struggling against her captors.
“Please, Madam President!” Chevroux yelled when she saw Arnott. “I was only serving my country! Why are you bowing down to patriarchal masters? This is Kerlile!”
Arnott stared impassively as Chevroux was dragged off. When they brought out Patel, it was clear the older woman had been crying. President Arnott walked right up to her.
“Madam President, I beg you to reconsider. I truly believe that if it comes to it, we can fight Sanctaria. Do not let this happen,” begged Patel.
President Arnott leaned forward to whisper in Patel’s ear.
“You imprisoned and tortured my brothers. You imprisoned and tortured Jennifer’s wife. You imprisoned and tortured Councillor Robinson. Your own partners and the fathers of your children. Members of your staff who failed you. Anyone who ever criticised you. You deserve this, Anita. More than anyone else alive.”
Arnott then turned and walked away.
“Please! Rebecca, I know we have our differences but you’re selling out our country! Rebecca, I can promise you… wait I’m not done, stop dragging me, let go of me! I am a Councillor of Kerlile you cannot do this to me! Rebecca! REBECCA!”
President Rebecca Arnott did not look back as Councillor Anita Patel was dragged onto a plane, kicking and screaming, threatening and begging.
30th July 2019 – morning
The Council Chamber was half-empty. Councillor Robinson had refrained from attending any sessions since the TRC verdicts. She had been looking forward to Pierre’s incarceration, everyone knew, and was disappointed in the verdict. So, she avoided Pierre – who was taking every occasion to gloat, and to accuse Robinson of treason.
“If nobody else will be in attendance, we shall begin,” announced Councillor Lia Chiu, second in seniority to Patel and the new Chair of the Council. She glanced around the room at Hale, Pierre, Georgiou and the young Arnott.
“Are we not expecting Letitia and Natalia?” queried Councillor Pauline Pierre, referring to Councillors Greenwood and Hart.
“Natalia’s at a religious service,” said Hale, taking a sip of her coffee. “The Festival of the Goddess is in a couple of weeks. I don’t know about Letitia though.”
“She should be here,” insisted Pierre.
“You’re just saying that because you know your little faction doesn’t have a majority right now,” pointed out Rosemary Arnott.
Councillor Pierre narrowed her eyes at the teenage Arnott, opening her mouth to retort, when the door opened and Letitia Greenwood entered, trailed by Lucia Viallamando, the latter yawning and looking rather dishevelled.
“We apologise for our lateness,” Letitia announced loudly, taking her seat. Viallamando winced at the sound of the voice and collapsed into her own chair, resting her head in her arms on the table in front of her.
“Whoa, is she hungover!?” asked Rosemary, staring at Viallamando.
“It’s considered impolite to point that out,” Hale informed the young Councillor, who just shrugged. Several of the Councillors glowered at the young Arnott with contempt. She violated the Council’s normal rules of decorum for seemingly no reason. Hale, of course, violated them in protest against the system, but Rosemary’s disrespect was almost incidental, and clearly purposeless.
“If we could begin?” Councillor Chiu asked sharply, and the room fell silent as they turned towards her. “First on the agenda is the matter of serial killer Jasmine Eddington. The Federation of Lauchenoiria has refused our request for extradition. They are presently holding her on immigration charges but they will have to release her on Sunday. If she is let loose in Lauchenoiria, she will kill again, and undoubtedly we will somehow get the blame.”
“We ought to send someone to retrieve her,” suggested Pierre. “The Lauchenoirians might get touchy just now but in the long term they’ll thank us.”
“And risk the ire of the Sanctarian peacekeepers who are still in Lauchenoiria? I think not,” scoffed Georgiou, stirring her tea. Greenwood leaned away from her slightly, the pungent smell of the tea irritating her. Nobody was quite sure what kind of tea Georgiou was drinking this week, she had a new variety every few weeks.
“There’s still a chance Lauchenoiria will give her back, right? We’ve got KBS to put out that article today, right? The one with the families? That’ll change their minds probably, and it’ll be okay,” Rosemary said hopefully.
“Josephine will not extradite Eddington.”
Jennifer Hale spoke loudly and clearly, in a manner that said she was not open to argument.
“But surely if she sees what Eddington was like…” Arnott began, then trailed off when Hale shot her a glare.
“Josephine Alvarez has no reason to extradite to Kerlile, and every reason to refuse us. Or have you forgotten last year? You took her hostage, tortured her to get to me. She despises this country, and there is no way she would do anything to help us. She knows from experience what our prisons are like, can you blame her for refusing to send someone back to one? No, as long as Alvarez is Prime Minister, Lauchenoiria will not extradite Jasmine Eddington.”
“Then what do we do?” asked Letitia Greenwood.
“We move on. They’ll learn or they won’t,” Hale said firmly, looking to Chiu. After a few moment’s silence, Chiu nodded and shuffled the paper in front of her.
“Item two: a proposal to temporarily lift the ban on international travel for those wishing to visit Shuell as spectators during the IDU Olympics. We have discussed this before, however a vote must be taken. Does anyone have anything further to add before we proceed to a vote?”
“I think this is going to go a long way to improving our international image,” said Georgiou. Hale and Arnott nodded in agreement.
“We cannot allow males to leave, however, they will not return,” pointed out Pierre.
“We’ve amended the proposal so only female citizens will be allowed to travel, Pauline,” Hale informed her, sighing slightly. She disliked compromise.
“In which case, can we proceed to a vote?” asked Chiu, keen to get this session over with. She had an expensive bottle of imported wine to get to. She’d been stockpiling Lauchenoirian wine in anticipation of trade sanctions. “I will take the lack of objection as consent.”
The Kerlian civil servant lurking in the corner stepped forward. She rubbed at the scar on her arm, eyeing Councillor Pierre nervously. She didn’t want to end up like her predecessor.
“The motion is to temporarily lift the ban on international travel for female Kerlian civilians wishing to travel to Shuell during the IDU Olympics. Votes will now be counted.”
The Council had been through seventeen vote counters since the attempted vote of no confidence in Patel at the end of last August. Ironically, the vote counter present on that day was the only one who still lived. She had been hidden by Councillor Hale. Her successors had met a variety of unfortunate fates, most of which had been attributed to Councillor Patel. Very few in Kerlile were sad to see the back of her.
“Councillor Arnott?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Chiu?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Georgiou?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Greenwood?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Hale?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Hart is absent. Her abstention has been noted. Councillor Patel is, uh, also absent. This has been noted. Councillor Pierre?”
“I vote aye.”
“Councillor Robinson’s absence has been noted. Councillor Viallamando?”
“Ugh can you be quieter? I abstain!”
“With six votes in favour and four abstentions or absences, the motion carries,” the woman said, then returned to hiding in her corner, relieved. No votes against meant that nobody was likely to punish her.
“Before we move on,” said Chiu, “we must mention briefly security arrangements for Councillors Georgiou and Greenwood. Both of you plan to go to Shuell, am I correct?”
“That is correct,” nodded Letitia. She was an avid sports fan, enough that she had overcome her dislike of foreign travel on several occasions. Georgiou just enjoyed any opportunity to visit new countries.
“We are waiting for final confirmation from Shuell but it appears that we may be limited to three security personnel per Councillor with one sidearm each.”
“You are kidding me, right!?” Letitia looked outraged.
“The Shuellians will also be ‘generously’ providing their own security.”
“Watching us, you mean?” Letitia growled. “Goddess, this is going to be a mistake. If we die you’ll nuke Shuell, right?”
“That’s not going to happen, Letitia,” said Hale. “And you’ve read the reports on a war with Shuell. Avoid at all costs.”
Letitia opened her mouth to retort, but Chiu held up her arms.
“We will discuss this later. Next item on the agenda: the Patel succession. With Anita due to be extradited following this session, we must decide if we are to allow Nirmala to take her place immediately.”
“If Anita isn’t dead, it would be rude of us to give away her seat,” pointed out Rosemary.
“Yes, however, we passed that emergency act providing for a daughter to take her mother’s place temporarily in the event of incapacitation or foreign incarceration six months ago. We must follow through,” insisted Pierre.
“Well, you see the thing is…” Hale interrupted, and continued. The Council would debate the Patel succession for around an hour before voting to allow Nirmala to take the Patel seat once confirmation of her mother’s arrival in Sanctaria was received.
*
Unidentified Airport, Kerlile
30th July 2019 – afternoon
The woman scanned the horizon and was relieved at the stillness. They had cleared the area so that the only vehicles passing this way would be those transporting the prisoners. The airplane sat on the runway, waiting. The airport was surrounded by armed guards, with not a male in sight.
President Arnott walked along the tarmac, flanked by guards.
“How long?” she asked the woman.
“The transport should be here momentarily, ma’am,” said the woman.
“Good,” the President replied.
Soon, the row of vans came into view. They stopped near to where the President and her entourage stood.
“Patel last,” ordered President Arnott.
“Yes, ma’am,” said the woman. The door of one van opened, and Chloe Conde was brought out in handcuffs. She was considerably skinnier than when she’d first been arrested, months before when she had tried to flee Kerlile. She seemed almost to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw the plane.
“Better a Sanctarian prison than a Kerlian one,” she muttered to herself, kicking a stone. President Arnott nodded toward the plane, and Conde was led off.
Littlewood and Casci had similar reactions when they were led out, though they hadn’t spent nearly as long in a Kerlian prison as Conde. When Chevroux was brought out, however, the woman had a rather more violent reaction, struggling against her captors.
“Please, Madam President!” Chevroux yelled when she saw Arnott. “I was only serving my country! Why are you bowing down to patriarchal masters? This is Kerlile!”
Arnott stared impassively as Chevroux was dragged off. When they brought out Patel, it was clear the older woman had been crying. President Arnott walked right up to her.
“Madam President, I beg you to reconsider. I truly believe that if it comes to it, we can fight Sanctaria. Do not let this happen,” begged Patel.
President Arnott leaned forward to whisper in Patel’s ear.
“You imprisoned and tortured my brothers. You imprisoned and tortured Jennifer’s wife. You imprisoned and tortured Councillor Robinson. Your own partners and the fathers of your children. Members of your staff who failed you. Anyone who ever criticised you. You deserve this, Anita. More than anyone else alive.”
Arnott then turned and walked away.
“Please! Rebecca, I know we have our differences but you’re selling out our country! Rebecca, I can promise you… wait I’m not done, stop dragging me, let go of me! I am a Councillor of Kerlile you cannot do this to me! Rebecca! REBECCA!”
President Rebecca Arnott did not look back as Councillor Anita Patel was dragged onto a plane, kicking and screaming, threatening and begging.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax