11-07-2019, 06:00 PM
(Jointly written with Xiomera)
The Pavía-Chēmā Equation
Pavía's Office/Xiomeran Embassy
7th November 2019 - afternoon
Sandra Pavía was rather unhappy. She was severely sleep deprived, had been working 18-hour days for the past four, and when she'd managed to sleep, she'd had a nightmare about a Kerlian invasion. It had taken her a couple minutes upon waking to realise it had been a dream.
It was a busy week for her, and almost none of it had been planned. She was in a number of meetings with people about the situation with Anya Bishop in Zamastan, there was the upcoming visit of the President of LOM, not to mention Xiomera's new Empress. To top it off, the Kerlian Ambassador had asked for a late-night meeting, and she didn't know what about. And now, she had to make a phone call to someone she rather wished she wouldn't have to speak to again anytime soon.
She picked up the phone and dialled the Xiomeran Embassy, asking to speak with Ambassador Chēmā, making it quite clear that it was a request she expected to be honoured right away.
At the Xiomeran embassy, a rather bored-sounding assistant tersely acknowledged Pavía's request and placed her on hold. The hold music played. And played. And played. While it was a quite pleasant rendition of current Xiomeran pop music, it probably wasn't entertaining to Pavía.
Eventually, the hold music ended. "Good evening, Minister Pavía. This is Ambassador Chēmā. How can I help you?" the ambassador said calmly, as if nothing was amiss.
"Your security personnel sprayed pepper spray directly in the face of a Lauchenoirian citizen on Lauchenoirian soil yesterday, Ambassador," Pavía spoke sharply. After being kept on hold for so long, she was angry and in no mood for pleasantries. "The individual in question is presently in hospital. There are videos across the internet. What do you have to say about the matter?"
"I was attacked. My security personnel responded. That is really all we have to say in response to this incident," Chēmā said in the same calm tone. "This would not have happened if your security around the embassy had been effective. The Xiomeran Empire takes no responsibility for this matter."
"You may press charges for the... milkshake incident if you wish. However, I have seen the video myself, and aiming at her face was entirely unnecessary," Pavía snapped. She was done with Xiomerans. They were so entitled, with their extradition requests and their hatred of dissent. She almost wished they didn't have an embassy with Xiomera. Then half these problems wouldn't happen.
"What has been unnecessary is the uncontrolled harassment of our embassy staff and personnel by mobs of protesters, and your government's inability or refusal to address that matter. And once that becomes an issue to the point of physical attacks on our personnel - even as trivial as this may seem to you - we frankly are no longer concerned if you find our security measures necessary." Chēmā's voice still had not wavered from its calm tone. "If your security people do their job, this sort of thing does not happen. We do not understand why Lauchenoirians find that so hard to comprehend."
"It is not that..." Pavía began, but then stopped herself, taking a deep breath and calming her tone. "I understand that this... attack... was unacceptable, and that in light of the escalation, we will need to think about increasing our security around the embassy again. However, under the Lauchenoirian constitution, the people have the right to demonstrate on Lauchenoirian soil. I understand this may be inconvenient, but the climate protesters believe - and I am making no comment one way or the other here myself, understand - that the actions of your government on Manauia Island will have global implications, and thus feel they must act. I agree that now it has escalated past solely peaceful protest that we must take action, hence why we arrested those who locked themselves to the gate, and why we will likely arrest the person behind the milkshake incident. But we will not stop the peaceful protesters."
"That is fine, as long as measures are taken by your government to prevent your protesters from attacking or harming our embassy personnel or disrupting our operations, or harassing our visitors. However, we do reserve the right to take necessary non-lethal steps to protect our people, should they be warranted. Nor do we intend to apologize for such actions." Chēmā smiled slightly to herself at that last part.
"Very well. I'm sure our people will continue to insult you on social media for it but I'm sure you're used to that by now," Pavía smirked. "I will remind you, however, that should any of your diplomatic staff cause permanent injury to one of our citizens that they are liable to be expelled from the country."
"Of course. In that case, we shall endeavor not to give any of your more disruptive and disrespectful citizens any permanent injuries," Chēmā said with a small laugh. "Was there anything else you wished to address with the Xiomeran Government, madam?"
"Only that you are welcome to visit and question Tlixō and Xōne while they are in prison here should you require anything from them, now they've been convicted. With supervision, of course," she added.
"There is nothing we would be able to discern from them under your interrogation guidelines, so that would not be productive. You may inform them, however, that the Empress has decided to release their families now that they have been sentenced. Their family members will be released shortly."
Before Pavía could reply, Chēmā spoke again. "And speaking of the Empress....please inform Prime Minister Alvarez that she will be receiving a phone call from her soon. There are matters that the Golden Chamber will wish to address with her."
Pavía had been very pleased when the Ambassador had mentioned the release of Tlixō and Xōne's families. However, at the mention of a phone call from the Empress, her confidence had faltered. She did not know which matters Yauhmi would want to discuss with Alvarez, but she feared it would be nothing good.
"I will inform the Prime Minister, of course. And I am glad to hear about the release of the families. I do hope that things between our two nations can improve, at some point," Pavía finished, though she wasn't entirely sure she meant it.
"That is a hope we all share, to be sure. However, much will depend on what transpires in the future," Chēmā said in a guarded tone. "In any event, if there is nothing else, please do not let me detain you further."
"Of course. I have a meeting with the Kerlian Ambassador to prepare for. Good day, Ambassador," Pavía said, relieved at the thought of getting off the call, though dreading the conversation she was about to need to have with the Prime Minister.
The Pavía-Chēmā Equation
Pavía's Office/Xiomeran Embassy
7th November 2019 - afternoon
Sandra Pavía was rather unhappy. She was severely sleep deprived, had been working 18-hour days for the past four, and when she'd managed to sleep, she'd had a nightmare about a Kerlian invasion. It had taken her a couple minutes upon waking to realise it had been a dream.
It was a busy week for her, and almost none of it had been planned. She was in a number of meetings with people about the situation with Anya Bishop in Zamastan, there was the upcoming visit of the President of LOM, not to mention Xiomera's new Empress. To top it off, the Kerlian Ambassador had asked for a late-night meeting, and she didn't know what about. And now, she had to make a phone call to someone she rather wished she wouldn't have to speak to again anytime soon.
She picked up the phone and dialled the Xiomeran Embassy, asking to speak with Ambassador Chēmā, making it quite clear that it was a request she expected to be honoured right away.
At the Xiomeran embassy, a rather bored-sounding assistant tersely acknowledged Pavía's request and placed her on hold. The hold music played. And played. And played. While it was a quite pleasant rendition of current Xiomeran pop music, it probably wasn't entertaining to Pavía.
Eventually, the hold music ended. "Good evening, Minister Pavía. This is Ambassador Chēmā. How can I help you?" the ambassador said calmly, as if nothing was amiss.
"Your security personnel sprayed pepper spray directly in the face of a Lauchenoirian citizen on Lauchenoirian soil yesterday, Ambassador," Pavía spoke sharply. After being kept on hold for so long, she was angry and in no mood for pleasantries. "The individual in question is presently in hospital. There are videos across the internet. What do you have to say about the matter?"
"I was attacked. My security personnel responded. That is really all we have to say in response to this incident," Chēmā said in the same calm tone. "This would not have happened if your security around the embassy had been effective. The Xiomeran Empire takes no responsibility for this matter."
"You may press charges for the... milkshake incident if you wish. However, I have seen the video myself, and aiming at her face was entirely unnecessary," Pavía snapped. She was done with Xiomerans. They were so entitled, with their extradition requests and their hatred of dissent. She almost wished they didn't have an embassy with Xiomera. Then half these problems wouldn't happen.
"What has been unnecessary is the uncontrolled harassment of our embassy staff and personnel by mobs of protesters, and your government's inability or refusal to address that matter. And once that becomes an issue to the point of physical attacks on our personnel - even as trivial as this may seem to you - we frankly are no longer concerned if you find our security measures necessary." Chēmā's voice still had not wavered from its calm tone. "If your security people do their job, this sort of thing does not happen. We do not understand why Lauchenoirians find that so hard to comprehend."
"It is not that..." Pavía began, but then stopped herself, taking a deep breath and calming her tone. "I understand that this... attack... was unacceptable, and that in light of the escalation, we will need to think about increasing our security around the embassy again. However, under the Lauchenoirian constitution, the people have the right to demonstrate on Lauchenoirian soil. I understand this may be inconvenient, but the climate protesters believe - and I am making no comment one way or the other here myself, understand - that the actions of your government on Manauia Island will have global implications, and thus feel they must act. I agree that now it has escalated past solely peaceful protest that we must take action, hence why we arrested those who locked themselves to the gate, and why we will likely arrest the person behind the milkshake incident. But we will not stop the peaceful protesters."
"That is fine, as long as measures are taken by your government to prevent your protesters from attacking or harming our embassy personnel or disrupting our operations, or harassing our visitors. However, we do reserve the right to take necessary non-lethal steps to protect our people, should they be warranted. Nor do we intend to apologize for such actions." Chēmā smiled slightly to herself at that last part.
"Very well. I'm sure our people will continue to insult you on social media for it but I'm sure you're used to that by now," Pavía smirked. "I will remind you, however, that should any of your diplomatic staff cause permanent injury to one of our citizens that they are liable to be expelled from the country."
"Of course. In that case, we shall endeavor not to give any of your more disruptive and disrespectful citizens any permanent injuries," Chēmā said with a small laugh. "Was there anything else you wished to address with the Xiomeran Government, madam?"
"Only that you are welcome to visit and question Tlixō and Xōne while they are in prison here should you require anything from them, now they've been convicted. With supervision, of course," she added.
"There is nothing we would be able to discern from them under your interrogation guidelines, so that would not be productive. You may inform them, however, that the Empress has decided to release their families now that they have been sentenced. Their family members will be released shortly."
Before Pavía could reply, Chēmā spoke again. "And speaking of the Empress....please inform Prime Minister Alvarez that she will be receiving a phone call from her soon. There are matters that the Golden Chamber will wish to address with her."
Pavía had been very pleased when the Ambassador had mentioned the release of Tlixō and Xōne's families. However, at the mention of a phone call from the Empress, her confidence had faltered. She did not know which matters Yauhmi would want to discuss with Alvarez, but she feared it would be nothing good.
"I will inform the Prime Minister, of course. And I am glad to hear about the release of the families. I do hope that things between our two nations can improve, at some point," Pavía finished, though she wasn't entirely sure she meant it.
"That is a hope we all share, to be sure. However, much will depend on what transpires in the future," Chēmā said in a guarded tone. "In any event, if there is nothing else, please do not let me detain you further."
"Of course. I have a meeting with the Kerlian Ambassador to prepare for. Good day, Ambassador," Pavía said, relieved at the thought of getting off the call, though dreading the conversation she was about to need to have with the Prime Minister.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax