09-22-2019, 11:33 PM
Council Chamber, Grapevale, Kerlile
22nd September 2019 – morning
Nirmala Patel sat with her back straight and her hands clasped in front of her. She wore a neutral expression as she stared at the door of the Council chamber, willing it to open. The emergency session was scheduled to begin in only two minutes, and so far, she was the only person to arrive. Not even Pierre, her partner in this attempt to stop the pardons had shown her face. The Council did not normally meet on Sundays, of course, and there had been little notice, so some Councillors had been outside of Grapevale.
“My apologies for my lateness, Councillors, I… oh. Well, this is not good,” Pauline Pierre entered the room, coming to an abrupt halt before reaching her seat.
“They are attempting to prevent the debate,” Nirmala sighed, looking slightly dejected. “There will be nothing we can do. If my mother was here, perhaps she would have a solution but the Sanctarians took her.”
“I really am sorry about that, Nirmala,” Pauline said, taking her seat next to Nirmala and tentatively resting her hand on the other woman’s arm. Nirmala did not shrug it off, instead turning to face Pauline.
“Our country is dying. Arnott is going to kill it, and everything we have worked for. I am devastated. My mother gave everything for Kerlile. We have to save it.”
“I agree, but what can we do? Look at the clock, the session should have started and we do not have quorum. The others… they have given up. Some sanctions were all it took to break them completely. I am angry, and I want to fight, but how? We would lose a civil war, and none of us want that. Without the means to work within the system, or the willingness to change it, there is no way to move forward.”
“Oh Pauline... why did this have to happen now?” Nirmala let out a sigh and stood up, walking over to a table at the side of the room on which stood bottles of water. The minute-taker began to walk over in silence to pour the water, but Nirmala waved her off with her hand and poured herself a glass.
“Natalia would say it is because we have angered the Goddess,” Pierre said, laughing mirthlessly. “I wonder sometimes if she is right. If there is a higher power, She seems to have cursed us all.”
The two women sat in silence for a few moments, when suddenly the door to the chamber opened. Both women’s heads snapped around to see the newcomer.
“The others will not attend. The Reform Party Councillors have made a statement, and Councillors Hart and Chiu have both said they will not come. Letitia is on the other side of the country and cannot make it. We will not reach quorum, I am afraid. You need not wait here any longer. My apologies, I know this was important to you,” Lucia Viallamando stood in the doorway, looking apologetically at the two traditionalist Councillors.
“Typical. They say we support totalitarian dictatorship and yet they are the ones who shut down debate,” Nirmala shook her head.
“A little unfair, Arnott never said she was a democrat. Only Hale has said that,” Pauline replied.
“And where is Hale? Not here to debate, that’s for sure,” Nirmala scoffed, standing up and walking to the exit, closely followed by Pauline. They met Lucia at the door and the trio walked out of the chamber together and headed outside to where their cars waited.
“Thank you for letting us know, Lucia,” Pauline said.
“They were cowardly not to do so earlier,” shrugged Lucia. “I do hope you can find some way before they do something foolish like allowing free elections.”
“Goddess, we would end up with all kinds of traitors and saboteurs in Parliament if that happened. I would not put it past them though, and that frightens me,” Nirmala shivered, coming to a stop beside the cars. “I will see you tomorrow, and we will hold them to account. It is a shame Robinson escaped her punishment.”
“She will not escape it forever if I have my way,” Pauline said darkly, then turned to enter her car.
“Until tomorrow,” Lucia said, walking towards her own.
Nirmala waited until the other two women were inside and their chauffeurs had driven off before entering her own car. She signalled for the driver to take her to her family’s Grapevale mansion. She wondered what her mother was thinking right now, all the way in her Sanctarian cell. Nirmala had always thought her mother overly extreme, but still didn’t want her to suffer this way. She sighed, and leaned back in her seat, watching the scenery go by and saying a silent prayer for the Matriarchy.
22nd September 2019 – morning
Nirmala Patel sat with her back straight and her hands clasped in front of her. She wore a neutral expression as she stared at the door of the Council chamber, willing it to open. The emergency session was scheduled to begin in only two minutes, and so far, she was the only person to arrive. Not even Pierre, her partner in this attempt to stop the pardons had shown her face. The Council did not normally meet on Sundays, of course, and there had been little notice, so some Councillors had been outside of Grapevale.
“My apologies for my lateness, Councillors, I… oh. Well, this is not good,” Pauline Pierre entered the room, coming to an abrupt halt before reaching her seat.
“They are attempting to prevent the debate,” Nirmala sighed, looking slightly dejected. “There will be nothing we can do. If my mother was here, perhaps she would have a solution but the Sanctarians took her.”
“I really am sorry about that, Nirmala,” Pauline said, taking her seat next to Nirmala and tentatively resting her hand on the other woman’s arm. Nirmala did not shrug it off, instead turning to face Pauline.
“Our country is dying. Arnott is going to kill it, and everything we have worked for. I am devastated. My mother gave everything for Kerlile. We have to save it.”
“I agree, but what can we do? Look at the clock, the session should have started and we do not have quorum. The others… they have given up. Some sanctions were all it took to break them completely. I am angry, and I want to fight, but how? We would lose a civil war, and none of us want that. Without the means to work within the system, or the willingness to change it, there is no way to move forward.”
“Oh Pauline... why did this have to happen now?” Nirmala let out a sigh and stood up, walking over to a table at the side of the room on which stood bottles of water. The minute-taker began to walk over in silence to pour the water, but Nirmala waved her off with her hand and poured herself a glass.
“Natalia would say it is because we have angered the Goddess,” Pierre said, laughing mirthlessly. “I wonder sometimes if she is right. If there is a higher power, She seems to have cursed us all.”
The two women sat in silence for a few moments, when suddenly the door to the chamber opened. Both women’s heads snapped around to see the newcomer.
“The others will not attend. The Reform Party Councillors have made a statement, and Councillors Hart and Chiu have both said they will not come. Letitia is on the other side of the country and cannot make it. We will not reach quorum, I am afraid. You need not wait here any longer. My apologies, I know this was important to you,” Lucia Viallamando stood in the doorway, looking apologetically at the two traditionalist Councillors.
“Typical. They say we support totalitarian dictatorship and yet they are the ones who shut down debate,” Nirmala shook her head.
“A little unfair, Arnott never said she was a democrat. Only Hale has said that,” Pauline replied.
“And where is Hale? Not here to debate, that’s for sure,” Nirmala scoffed, standing up and walking to the exit, closely followed by Pauline. They met Lucia at the door and the trio walked out of the chamber together and headed outside to where their cars waited.
“Thank you for letting us know, Lucia,” Pauline said.
“They were cowardly not to do so earlier,” shrugged Lucia. “I do hope you can find some way before they do something foolish like allowing free elections.”
“Goddess, we would end up with all kinds of traitors and saboteurs in Parliament if that happened. I would not put it past them though, and that frightens me,” Nirmala shivered, coming to a stop beside the cars. “I will see you tomorrow, and we will hold them to account. It is a shame Robinson escaped her punishment.”
“She will not escape it forever if I have my way,” Pauline said darkly, then turned to enter her car.
“Until tomorrow,” Lucia said, walking towards her own.
Nirmala waited until the other two women were inside and their chauffeurs had driven off before entering her own car. She signalled for the driver to take her to her family’s Grapevale mansion. She wondered what her mother was thinking right now, all the way in her Sanctarian cell. Nirmala had always thought her mother overly extreme, but still didn’t want her to suffer this way. She sighed, and leaned back in her seat, watching the scenery go by and saying a silent prayer for the Matriarchy.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax