08-01-2019, 12:34 AM
Hale Residence, Kerlile
31st July 2019 – evening
Councillor Jennifer Hale kissed her baby daughter Amelia on the forehead, then handed her to Emma Woodward, Hale’s most trusted member of staff. She walked over to the desk and picked up the phone.
“I’m ready. Make the call.”
While she waited to be connected with Josephine Alvarez, Prime Minister of Lauchenoiria (and Hale’s legally-still wife), she nervously tapped a pen against the paper in front of her. She had cleared the desk except for the statements from the victim’s families… and a picture of her with Josephine, both of them still young and in love.
“Councillor Hale, what an unexpected pleasure,” came a voice dripping with sarcasm through the phone.
“Good evening, Prime Minister. I am calling to ask you to reconsider your decision to refuse the extradition of Kerlian citizen Jasmine Eddington, who as I’m sure you’re aware was convicted of thirteen murders and one kidnapping…”
“Jennifer, you know Lauchenoiria can’t extradite anyone to Kerlile. I’m sorry for the families who wrote those letters, truly I am. But you know fine well that it would set a precedent. This is a private call, so let’s not pretend that we don’t know each other. I sat with you once, when you went by another name, and I was Foreign Minister. You told me to never, ever agree to extradite any Kerlian. To never change that policy. Do you remember why?”
“Josephine, this is different, Eddington isn’t political, she…”
“‘Every Kerlian who tries to flee gets hurt, would you really want to be complicit in that?’ you said. If I send Eddington back, regardless of your assurances about the death penalty, I’ll be complicit in whatever pain your people subject her to. I’ve been there, Jennifer. I know what she would go through. I agree, she’s a terrible person, but she still doesn’t deserve to be tortured.”
“She won’t be. I promise you that. This Restricted Region moratorium is real, she can’t be sent there – and before you say they’ll just do it elsewhere, I swear they won’t. We give you our complete assurance.”
“We. The Council,” Josephine paused, the silence stretching out for a seemingly endless amount of time. “You know, I remember when you told me you wouldn’t join them. Then I convinced you to do it just so they’d stop hurting me. In a way, I feel responsible for this. You know, Sonja - Jennifer, I think I have been somewhat unfair to you. Thank you for rescuing me last year.”
“Josie…”
“But that doesn’t change the other facts. And that isn’t what this is about. By law we cannot extradite Eddington. President Marwick might be able to sign an executive order but it would cause a hell of a fuss. And if we extradite one Kerlian, that makes it so much easier the next time. Until one day, Lauchenoiria is no longer safe for the people fleeing political persecution. The people you claim you support.”
“I do support them, Josephine! I did not want this. I wanted to stay in Lauchenoiria with you. But that wasn’t to be. When my sister died without a daughter I was devastated. I may have lied about who I was but I wasn’t lying when I told you about the sister who beat me every night. And yes, I lied to you but Goddess do you really think you wouldn’t have in my position? I didn’t ask for this life. But now I guess I’m stuck here. And for what it’s worth I am so, so, so sorry I lied.”
Jennifer reached out to the box of tissues on her desk, wiping the tears that had begun to fall off her face. She really had intended to stick to business on this call, but it seemed like the unfinished business between her and Alvarez was too near the surface to stay buried for long.
“You know,” Josephine began, “the fall of Usera was almost a year ago. I’ve known who you really are for 51 weeks and I still call you Sonja in my mind. I don’t know if I can forgive you, but… I think I do understand. A little. I’m sorry that this happened, really. And I hope, in spite of everything that one day I can see Amelia. But I am not ready to discuss our… personal relationship yet. I need more time. So, let’s just focus on Eddington, okay?”
“Yes, yes, of course. Uh, well, if you’ve read the files we sent you, then you’ll know that she killed 13 adolescent boys, and kidnapped a 14th with the intent to kill him, when she was caught. She published a manifesto stating her intention to kill 16 boys. It was a religious crusade, she thinks she was doing the work of the Goddess in punishing males. My point is: she didn’t kill 16 people. She considers her work unfinished. If you release her, she will kill again.”
“My understanding of her ‘manifesto’ is that she wanted to kill a boy from each of Kerlile’s 16 regions, minus the Restricted Region of course. What makes you think she is a threat to Lauchenoirians?”
“All those Kerlian refugees you’re trying to protect by refusing to change the extradition policy? What makes you so sure that none of them are adolescent boys from one of those three remaining regions?”
“That is a fair point. We can assign protection to individuals meeting that profile until such a day as it is not required. If you’re right about Eddington, she will likely commit a crime in Lauchenoiria and then we can arrest her for that.”
“By that point it would be too late. And, forgive my bluntness, but does the Lauchenoirian budget allow for 24/7 protection for an unknown number of refugees, that won’t welcome it? After all, it will remind them of Kerlile. Of being watched by the government, of feeling unsafe. Do you really want to put them through that?”
“I… I understand where you’re coming from, I do. If it was any other country then I’d consider it. But you know our history with Kerlile. You still have three Lauchenoirian students in prison for criticising your government while on holiday. They’ve spent 9 years rotting in a Kerlian cell because your Council wanted to teach us a lesson.”
“If you’re interested in a trade…”
“We’re not giving you back Kerlian refugees. That was made clear 9 years ago. There’s a reason Lauchenoirian citizens are cautioned against visiting Kerlile. They’re hostages, being held by your government until we hand over your dissidents. But we won’t, we will protect them. It pains me that those three are still in prison, but we won’t give in to the demands to return dissidents.”
“That’s not what I’m asking, I know you never would. It would be offensive of me to try. I will speak to President Arnott, however, about those three. If she is serious about reforming, then she should be willing to release them. And the, uh, other Lauchenoirians. Anita used to refer to them as the ‘collection’. No strings attached.”
“Of course she did. I can’t say I didn’t celebrate when I saw her verdict. For what it’s worth, Jennifer, I was very relieved to see you wouldn’t be joining her. Anyway, that would be a good start. But I cannot guarantee we will extradite Eddington in return.”
“I’m not asking you… well, I’m not insisting you do. But it would mean a lot if you did – not to me, or the Council, but to the families of her victims. I know you care about them, and I know how difficult a dilemma this must be for you. Please, just consider the implications of this decision.”
“I will consider it, Jennifer. But it is unlikely that we will.”
“I understand. Thank you anyway. Oh, and incidentally, if you ever do want to visit Kerlile, the Council will guarantee your safety. I, of course, can’t exactly leave the country right now.”
“I… I think it unlikely that I will visit the Matriarchy any time soon.”
“Of course.”
“Goodbye, Jennifer.”
“Goodbye, Josephine.”
31st July 2019 – evening
Councillor Jennifer Hale kissed her baby daughter Amelia on the forehead, then handed her to Emma Woodward, Hale’s most trusted member of staff. She walked over to the desk and picked up the phone.
“I’m ready. Make the call.”
While she waited to be connected with Josephine Alvarez, Prime Minister of Lauchenoiria (and Hale’s legally-still wife), she nervously tapped a pen against the paper in front of her. She had cleared the desk except for the statements from the victim’s families… and a picture of her with Josephine, both of them still young and in love.
“Councillor Hale, what an unexpected pleasure,” came a voice dripping with sarcasm through the phone.
“Good evening, Prime Minister. I am calling to ask you to reconsider your decision to refuse the extradition of Kerlian citizen Jasmine Eddington, who as I’m sure you’re aware was convicted of thirteen murders and one kidnapping…”
“Jennifer, you know Lauchenoiria can’t extradite anyone to Kerlile. I’m sorry for the families who wrote those letters, truly I am. But you know fine well that it would set a precedent. This is a private call, so let’s not pretend that we don’t know each other. I sat with you once, when you went by another name, and I was Foreign Minister. You told me to never, ever agree to extradite any Kerlian. To never change that policy. Do you remember why?”
“Josephine, this is different, Eddington isn’t political, she…”
“‘Every Kerlian who tries to flee gets hurt, would you really want to be complicit in that?’ you said. If I send Eddington back, regardless of your assurances about the death penalty, I’ll be complicit in whatever pain your people subject her to. I’ve been there, Jennifer. I know what she would go through. I agree, she’s a terrible person, but she still doesn’t deserve to be tortured.”
“She won’t be. I promise you that. This Restricted Region moratorium is real, she can’t be sent there – and before you say they’ll just do it elsewhere, I swear they won’t. We give you our complete assurance.”
“We. The Council,” Josephine paused, the silence stretching out for a seemingly endless amount of time. “You know, I remember when you told me you wouldn’t join them. Then I convinced you to do it just so they’d stop hurting me. In a way, I feel responsible for this. You know, Sonja - Jennifer, I think I have been somewhat unfair to you. Thank you for rescuing me last year.”
“Josie…”
“But that doesn’t change the other facts. And that isn’t what this is about. By law we cannot extradite Eddington. President Marwick might be able to sign an executive order but it would cause a hell of a fuss. And if we extradite one Kerlian, that makes it so much easier the next time. Until one day, Lauchenoiria is no longer safe for the people fleeing political persecution. The people you claim you support.”
“I do support them, Josephine! I did not want this. I wanted to stay in Lauchenoiria with you. But that wasn’t to be. When my sister died without a daughter I was devastated. I may have lied about who I was but I wasn’t lying when I told you about the sister who beat me every night. And yes, I lied to you but Goddess do you really think you wouldn’t have in my position? I didn’t ask for this life. But now I guess I’m stuck here. And for what it’s worth I am so, so, so sorry I lied.”
Jennifer reached out to the box of tissues on her desk, wiping the tears that had begun to fall off her face. She really had intended to stick to business on this call, but it seemed like the unfinished business between her and Alvarez was too near the surface to stay buried for long.
“You know,” Josephine began, “the fall of Usera was almost a year ago. I’ve known who you really are for 51 weeks and I still call you Sonja in my mind. I don’t know if I can forgive you, but… I think I do understand. A little. I’m sorry that this happened, really. And I hope, in spite of everything that one day I can see Amelia. But I am not ready to discuss our… personal relationship yet. I need more time. So, let’s just focus on Eddington, okay?”
“Yes, yes, of course. Uh, well, if you’ve read the files we sent you, then you’ll know that she killed 13 adolescent boys, and kidnapped a 14th with the intent to kill him, when she was caught. She published a manifesto stating her intention to kill 16 boys. It was a religious crusade, she thinks she was doing the work of the Goddess in punishing males. My point is: she didn’t kill 16 people. She considers her work unfinished. If you release her, she will kill again.”
“My understanding of her ‘manifesto’ is that she wanted to kill a boy from each of Kerlile’s 16 regions, minus the Restricted Region of course. What makes you think she is a threat to Lauchenoirians?”
“All those Kerlian refugees you’re trying to protect by refusing to change the extradition policy? What makes you so sure that none of them are adolescent boys from one of those three remaining regions?”
“That is a fair point. We can assign protection to individuals meeting that profile until such a day as it is not required. If you’re right about Eddington, she will likely commit a crime in Lauchenoiria and then we can arrest her for that.”
“By that point it would be too late. And, forgive my bluntness, but does the Lauchenoirian budget allow for 24/7 protection for an unknown number of refugees, that won’t welcome it? After all, it will remind them of Kerlile. Of being watched by the government, of feeling unsafe. Do you really want to put them through that?”
“I… I understand where you’re coming from, I do. If it was any other country then I’d consider it. But you know our history with Kerlile. You still have three Lauchenoirian students in prison for criticising your government while on holiday. They’ve spent 9 years rotting in a Kerlian cell because your Council wanted to teach us a lesson.”
“If you’re interested in a trade…”
“We’re not giving you back Kerlian refugees. That was made clear 9 years ago. There’s a reason Lauchenoirian citizens are cautioned against visiting Kerlile. They’re hostages, being held by your government until we hand over your dissidents. But we won’t, we will protect them. It pains me that those three are still in prison, but we won’t give in to the demands to return dissidents.”
“That’s not what I’m asking, I know you never would. It would be offensive of me to try. I will speak to President Arnott, however, about those three. If she is serious about reforming, then she should be willing to release them. And the, uh, other Lauchenoirians. Anita used to refer to them as the ‘collection’. No strings attached.”
“Of course she did. I can’t say I didn’t celebrate when I saw her verdict. For what it’s worth, Jennifer, I was very relieved to see you wouldn’t be joining her. Anyway, that would be a good start. But I cannot guarantee we will extradite Eddington in return.”
“I’m not asking you… well, I’m not insisting you do. But it would mean a lot if you did – not to me, or the Council, but to the families of her victims. I know you care about them, and I know how difficult a dilemma this must be for you. Please, just consider the implications of this decision.”
“I will consider it, Jennifer. But it is unlikely that we will.”
“I understand. Thank you anyway. Oh, and incidentally, if you ever do want to visit Kerlile, the Council will guarantee your safety. I, of course, can’t exactly leave the country right now.”
“I… I think it unlikely that I will visit the Matriarchy any time soon.”
“Of course.”
“Goodbye, Jennifer.”
“Goodbye, Josephine.”
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax