09-09-2019, 09:36 PM
(Written jointly with [nation]Xiomera[/nation])
Greenwood Residence, Iletina, Kerlile/The Cauhloc, Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera
9th September 2019 - early morning Kerlile, late morning Xiomera
Councillor Letitia Greenwood walked along the corridor of her family mansion, passing grand windows overlooking her vast garden. Her daughter Carolyn was outside playing an early morning game of tennis with one of Letitia's sisters. Letitia paused to watch as Carolyn won a point, nodding in approval. She then opened a door and slipped inside her home office, a rather modern looking room filled with a variety of screens. One of her assistants, Yvonne, the one who dealt with political matters, hurried to stand up from a smaller desk where she'd been working.
"Yvonne, I want to speak with the Xiomeran security secretary, Tepilcayotl. Get him on the phone for me, if you can," Letitia said, walking over and sitting down at her larger desk. "And once I'm on the call I would like privacy."
"Yes, Councillor," said Yvonne, picking up her tablet and flicking through the list of numbers. Once she had located that of Tepilcayotl's office, she took the phone and dialled, listening to it ring as the Councillor watched.
The Cauhloc, the building that housed the Secretariat of Security, was quite unlike most of the buildings on the central square in Tlālacuetztla. The buildings on the Tiazō were a mix of ancient buildings with classical Xiomeran architecture, and more recent buildings from the period between 1850 to 1900 built during Camaxtica's postwar reform period.
The Cauhloc, however, was different. Built in 1968 after its predecessor building burned to the ground in a still-unexplained fire, it was unapologetically modern, even Brutalist, in design. A solid mass of stone arranged in cubes, its flat slabs rose thirty stories into the air, looming over the smaller buildings on the square like a giant black box. To Xiomerans, it was more like a black hole - what went into the Cauhloc, the grim joke went, didn't come out.
At the top of this mass of black stone, the office of the Secretary of Security was likewise not at all similar to any other Xiomeran leader's space. Most Xiomeran high officials had richly decorated and highly comfortable offices, laden with Xiomeran tradition and Xiomeran wealth as well.
This office was different by design. Stark stone walls housed a bevy of computer screens and televisions, silently displaying news and events from throughout the world. Multiple clocks displayed the time in various countries. The furniture was equally stark and modernistic - it encouraged you to sit, but not get comfortable.
While the fancy and old-school offices of other Council members were the face of Xiomera's government, this room was the beating heart of the cold technocratic soul that kept Xiomera functioning behind the scenes. And, its occupant reasoned, kept it safe.
Tepilcayotl was at his desk when the call came in, poring over multiple security and intelligence reports relating to the attempt on the Emperor's life. Cahuit, his assistant, interrupted his review by speaking over his intercom. "I apologize for the interruption, Excellency, but there is a call for you. Councillor Letitia Greenwood of Kerlile has asked to speak with you," Cahuit said.
Normally, Tepilcayotl would have quietly and verbally eviscerated Cahuit for interrupting him during such a challenging security situation. But he was curious as to why someone from the Council of Kerlile - and this Councillor in particular - would be calling him specifically. "Put the call through," he said. When the call was patched through, Tepilcayotl said, "Good morning, Councillor Greenwood. This is an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"
The moment she received confirmation that Tepilcayotl would take the Councillor's call, Yvonne had transferred the call on her end to Letitia, and had scurried out of the room. When Tepilcayotl's voice came through the phone, Letitia couldn't help but smile.
"Good morning, Secretary. I was so sorry to hear about the attempt on the life of Emperor Topilpopoca. He has been a good friend to Kerlile in the last month, at a time when we sorely needed it. The best wishes of all on the Council of Kerlile are with him in his recovery."
"Thank you for your well wishes, they are greatly appreciated. We are hopeful that the Emperor will make a speedy recovery. We are fortunate that we were able to quickly apprehend his assailant as well. Justice must be served swiftly and decisively to maintain the people's confidence in the institutions that a society is built upon. Despite the difficult situation, I am confident that Xiomera will prevail in the end. Support of friends such as yourself and the rest of the Council helps greatly, of course," Tepilcayotl said.
"Kerlile is willing to help in any way we can during this difficult time," Letitia began. "I can also offer you some... additional assistance with the problem of the assailant. I imagine you are looking to discover if he had accomplices. My country is very good at finding out such things. Unfortunately, our current President seems to be endeavouring to lessen our security abilities in that way. As such, there are many Kerlians who are extremely skilled in such areas who find themselves out of work. I, personally and not on behalf of the Council, wonder if you would perhaps be seeking to employ any such individuals?"
Tepilcayotl found himself suddenly intrigued. Kerlile's skilled interrogators had a certain reputation, and while the ASI was no slouch in getting information, sometimes a different set of skills was useful to have. Besides, this would be an opportunity to see what techniques the Kerlians might be able to bring to bear on Cētlalhui that Xiomerans couldn't.
If nothing else, it would be a way to make Cētlalhui suffer. And Tepilcayotl wanted him to suffer. He had promised unprecedented pain, after all.
"I believe we could certainly find a place for anyone you know of who would be able to bring a unique set of skills to bear to our dilemma with Cētlalhui. If that could be arranged, I would be most grateful indeed," Tepilcayotl said.
"As you may know, Kerlian citizens are not permitted to travel outside of the country without reason. However as a Councillor I may grant individuals a temporary permit to work abroad, in specific circumstances. There are a number of skilled individuals I feel could help you. If you're interested, permits for these people could be arranged."
Letitia smiled as she spoke. Kerlile was presently filled with many unhappy and unemployed women who had previously worked in the Restricted Region before it was closed down. They despised the Reform Party, of course, but their discontent was not enough to make them act against Arnott. However, if she could provide these individuals with opportunity... they may well support her in the future, if the unity of the Council was to deteriorate. If Tepilcayotl accepted this offer, it would benefit her too.
"I would indeed be interested. Any of these skilled individuals that you recommend would be most welcome. For the duration of their time here, they would be treated as employees of our ASI, and would be generously compensated for their time and valuable expertise," Tepilcayotl said.
On the other end of the phone, Tepilcayotl was smiling as well. The chance to make Cētlalhui suffer while possibly gaining valuable knowledge to make ASI, his personal pride and joy, more dangerous was practically a gift from the gods.
"Of course. I would, however, appreciate it if this arrangement could be kept between us. The Council has enough on its plate to discuss and, well, you know how some of them are these days. Unwilling to do what needs to be done," Letitia said sadly. She was, it must be said, genuinely disappointed in some of the decisions made by the Council recently. She was glad someone appreciated the talents of Kerlian interrogators these days, even if it was a foreign male.
"I can appreciate the need for discretion on this matter. We have our own elements here in Xiomera who are...reluctant at times to make the hard decisions that must sometimes be made. As head of Security, I must often make executive decisions that the rest of our Council need not concern themselves with, and wouldn't probably understand anyway, not being professionals in my line of work," Tepilcayotl chuckled softly. "You can rest assured that our agreement will be kept in strictest confidence."
"I thank you for that. I can begin contacting likely individuals immediately. I can have permits for them within 24 hours, and then we can arrange transport. I'm sure you will want them as soon as possible?" Letitia asked.
"Indeed. I will begin making the necessary arrangements on our end to make sure that housing and pay are ready for them when they arrive. Given the potential security risks here, the sooner they can start, the better," Tepilcayotl replied.
"Of course. I will have people I trust reach out to them immediately. I hope the Emperor has a speedy recovery, and that you can deal with this threat swiftly and fully," Letitia said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and twirling it a little. She was pleased that he had accepted. She had been somewhat worried that she would get a rejection - and that the Xiomerans would tell Arnott.
"Thank you again for your kind words. With your help, and that of your experts, I am confident that we will be able to take care of this matter in an effective way. If there is anything else that our government, or I personally, can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask," Tepilcayotl said warmly. He was quite pleased to have Kerlian 'experts' on his payroll now. They would root out any security threats the Xiomerans couldn't.
And even if there was no conspiracy, and Cētlalhui had acted on his own, the Kerlians could still prove quite useful in ensuring no other annoyances disturbed the harmony of Xiomeran society.
"I will be sure to ask if there is anything you can help us with. I hope that our professionals prove helpful, and once again I hope you can end this threat promptly. I wish you the best of luck," Letitia said. She was very hopeful that this arrangement would prove useful to Xiomera, and that in the future, should certain events transpire, it could serve as an example to those who would see Kerlile weakened.
"Thank you again, and I wish you luck as well. Have a good day, Councillor Greenwood," Tepilcayotl said with a smile. He was already contemplating what was awaiting Cētlalhui when the Kerlians arrived, and was pleased.
"Good day, Secretary," Letitia said, putting down the phone. She sighed contentedly and sat back for a moment before she pressed a buzzer that sent Yvonne scurrying back into the room.
"I'm going to need the full list of former Restricted Region employees and their present contact details. Order them by rank, I need to speak to those with the most experience in... certain areas."
"Ma'am? But the Region has been shut down."
"Do it, Yvonne, and don't question me."
"Yes, Councillor," Yvonne said, then exited once more.
Letitia sat by the window, staring out at the early morning sun, chuckling to herself. She was very pleased, and she had new plans for how she could put an end to this pointless experiment with reform that Arnott and her allies were set on.
Greenwood Residence, Iletina, Kerlile/The Cauhloc, Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera
9th September 2019 - early morning Kerlile, late morning Xiomera
Councillor Letitia Greenwood walked along the corridor of her family mansion, passing grand windows overlooking her vast garden. Her daughter Carolyn was outside playing an early morning game of tennis with one of Letitia's sisters. Letitia paused to watch as Carolyn won a point, nodding in approval. She then opened a door and slipped inside her home office, a rather modern looking room filled with a variety of screens. One of her assistants, Yvonne, the one who dealt with political matters, hurried to stand up from a smaller desk where she'd been working.
"Yvonne, I want to speak with the Xiomeran security secretary, Tepilcayotl. Get him on the phone for me, if you can," Letitia said, walking over and sitting down at her larger desk. "And once I'm on the call I would like privacy."
"Yes, Councillor," said Yvonne, picking up her tablet and flicking through the list of numbers. Once she had located that of Tepilcayotl's office, she took the phone and dialled, listening to it ring as the Councillor watched.
The Cauhloc, the building that housed the Secretariat of Security, was quite unlike most of the buildings on the central square in Tlālacuetztla. The buildings on the Tiazō were a mix of ancient buildings with classical Xiomeran architecture, and more recent buildings from the period between 1850 to 1900 built during Camaxtica's postwar reform period.
The Cauhloc, however, was different. Built in 1968 after its predecessor building burned to the ground in a still-unexplained fire, it was unapologetically modern, even Brutalist, in design. A solid mass of stone arranged in cubes, its flat slabs rose thirty stories into the air, looming over the smaller buildings on the square like a giant black box. To Xiomerans, it was more like a black hole - what went into the Cauhloc, the grim joke went, didn't come out.
At the top of this mass of black stone, the office of the Secretary of Security was likewise not at all similar to any other Xiomeran leader's space. Most Xiomeran high officials had richly decorated and highly comfortable offices, laden with Xiomeran tradition and Xiomeran wealth as well.
This office was different by design. Stark stone walls housed a bevy of computer screens and televisions, silently displaying news and events from throughout the world. Multiple clocks displayed the time in various countries. The furniture was equally stark and modernistic - it encouraged you to sit, but not get comfortable.
While the fancy and old-school offices of other Council members were the face of Xiomera's government, this room was the beating heart of the cold technocratic soul that kept Xiomera functioning behind the scenes. And, its occupant reasoned, kept it safe.
Tepilcayotl was at his desk when the call came in, poring over multiple security and intelligence reports relating to the attempt on the Emperor's life. Cahuit, his assistant, interrupted his review by speaking over his intercom. "I apologize for the interruption, Excellency, but there is a call for you. Councillor Letitia Greenwood of Kerlile has asked to speak with you," Cahuit said.
Normally, Tepilcayotl would have quietly and verbally eviscerated Cahuit for interrupting him during such a challenging security situation. But he was curious as to why someone from the Council of Kerlile - and this Councillor in particular - would be calling him specifically. "Put the call through," he said. When the call was patched through, Tepilcayotl said, "Good morning, Councillor Greenwood. This is an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"
The moment she received confirmation that Tepilcayotl would take the Councillor's call, Yvonne had transferred the call on her end to Letitia, and had scurried out of the room. When Tepilcayotl's voice came through the phone, Letitia couldn't help but smile.
"Good morning, Secretary. I was so sorry to hear about the attempt on the life of Emperor Topilpopoca. He has been a good friend to Kerlile in the last month, at a time when we sorely needed it. The best wishes of all on the Council of Kerlile are with him in his recovery."
"Thank you for your well wishes, they are greatly appreciated. We are hopeful that the Emperor will make a speedy recovery. We are fortunate that we were able to quickly apprehend his assailant as well. Justice must be served swiftly and decisively to maintain the people's confidence in the institutions that a society is built upon. Despite the difficult situation, I am confident that Xiomera will prevail in the end. Support of friends such as yourself and the rest of the Council helps greatly, of course," Tepilcayotl said.
"Kerlile is willing to help in any way we can during this difficult time," Letitia began. "I can also offer you some... additional assistance with the problem of the assailant. I imagine you are looking to discover if he had accomplices. My country is very good at finding out such things. Unfortunately, our current President seems to be endeavouring to lessen our security abilities in that way. As such, there are many Kerlians who are extremely skilled in such areas who find themselves out of work. I, personally and not on behalf of the Council, wonder if you would perhaps be seeking to employ any such individuals?"
Tepilcayotl found himself suddenly intrigued. Kerlile's skilled interrogators had a certain reputation, and while the ASI was no slouch in getting information, sometimes a different set of skills was useful to have. Besides, this would be an opportunity to see what techniques the Kerlians might be able to bring to bear on Cētlalhui that Xiomerans couldn't.
If nothing else, it would be a way to make Cētlalhui suffer. And Tepilcayotl wanted him to suffer. He had promised unprecedented pain, after all.
"I believe we could certainly find a place for anyone you know of who would be able to bring a unique set of skills to bear to our dilemma with Cētlalhui. If that could be arranged, I would be most grateful indeed," Tepilcayotl said.
"As you may know, Kerlian citizens are not permitted to travel outside of the country without reason. However as a Councillor I may grant individuals a temporary permit to work abroad, in specific circumstances. There are a number of skilled individuals I feel could help you. If you're interested, permits for these people could be arranged."
Letitia smiled as she spoke. Kerlile was presently filled with many unhappy and unemployed women who had previously worked in the Restricted Region before it was closed down. They despised the Reform Party, of course, but their discontent was not enough to make them act against Arnott. However, if she could provide these individuals with opportunity... they may well support her in the future, if the unity of the Council was to deteriorate. If Tepilcayotl accepted this offer, it would benefit her too.
"I would indeed be interested. Any of these skilled individuals that you recommend would be most welcome. For the duration of their time here, they would be treated as employees of our ASI, and would be generously compensated for their time and valuable expertise," Tepilcayotl said.
On the other end of the phone, Tepilcayotl was smiling as well. The chance to make Cētlalhui suffer while possibly gaining valuable knowledge to make ASI, his personal pride and joy, more dangerous was practically a gift from the gods.
"Of course. I would, however, appreciate it if this arrangement could be kept between us. The Council has enough on its plate to discuss and, well, you know how some of them are these days. Unwilling to do what needs to be done," Letitia said sadly. She was, it must be said, genuinely disappointed in some of the decisions made by the Council recently. She was glad someone appreciated the talents of Kerlian interrogators these days, even if it was a foreign male.
"I can appreciate the need for discretion on this matter. We have our own elements here in Xiomera who are...reluctant at times to make the hard decisions that must sometimes be made. As head of Security, I must often make executive decisions that the rest of our Council need not concern themselves with, and wouldn't probably understand anyway, not being professionals in my line of work," Tepilcayotl chuckled softly. "You can rest assured that our agreement will be kept in strictest confidence."
"I thank you for that. I can begin contacting likely individuals immediately. I can have permits for them within 24 hours, and then we can arrange transport. I'm sure you will want them as soon as possible?" Letitia asked.
"Indeed. I will begin making the necessary arrangements on our end to make sure that housing and pay are ready for them when they arrive. Given the potential security risks here, the sooner they can start, the better," Tepilcayotl replied.
"Of course. I will have people I trust reach out to them immediately. I hope the Emperor has a speedy recovery, and that you can deal with this threat swiftly and fully," Letitia said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and twirling it a little. She was pleased that he had accepted. She had been somewhat worried that she would get a rejection - and that the Xiomerans would tell Arnott.
"Thank you again for your kind words. With your help, and that of your experts, I am confident that we will be able to take care of this matter in an effective way. If there is anything else that our government, or I personally, can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask," Tepilcayotl said warmly. He was quite pleased to have Kerlian 'experts' on his payroll now. They would root out any security threats the Xiomerans couldn't.
And even if there was no conspiracy, and Cētlalhui had acted on his own, the Kerlians could still prove quite useful in ensuring no other annoyances disturbed the harmony of Xiomeran society.
"I will be sure to ask if there is anything you can help us with. I hope that our professionals prove helpful, and once again I hope you can end this threat promptly. I wish you the best of luck," Letitia said. She was very hopeful that this arrangement would prove useful to Xiomera, and that in the future, should certain events transpire, it could serve as an example to those who would see Kerlile weakened.
"Thank you again, and I wish you luck as well. Have a good day, Councillor Greenwood," Tepilcayotl said with a smile. He was already contemplating what was awaiting Cētlalhui when the Kerlians arrived, and was pleased.
"Good day, Secretary," Letitia said, putting down the phone. She sighed contentedly and sat back for a moment before she pressed a buzzer that sent Yvonne scurrying back into the room.
"I'm going to need the full list of former Restricted Region employees and their present contact details. Order them by rank, I need to speak to those with the most experience in... certain areas."
"Ma'am? But the Region has been shut down."
"Do it, Yvonne, and don't question me."
"Yes, Councillor," Yvonne said, then exited once more.
Letitia sat by the window, staring out at the early morning sun, chuckling to herself. She was very pleased, and she had new plans for how she could put an end to this pointless experiment with reform that Arnott and her allies were set on.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax