[Lauchenoiria]

Secret Room, Basement, Pierre Residence, Grapevale
26th November 2019

“This is a full-on crisis,” snarled Councillor Pauline Pierre. Her second daughter, Eva, stood next to her, arms folded. They were in a basement room full of computers and filing cabinets underneath the Pierre family’s Grapevale mansion. Most of the computers were ageing things, looking like they would take an hour to start up and that they belonged in the age of dial-up internet.

“I actually, for once, agree,” sighed Councillor Jennifer Hale reluctantly. “It gives the world a bad impression of us at a time when we don’t need it, and it puts a lot of people in danger – some of whom haven’t actually done anything yet, if my reading of the files last year was correct.”

“It was,” nodded Councillor Nirmala Patel. “The vast majority of Auroras have not taken any actions beyond passive information gathering. If countries are to begin systematically hunting them down, we will lose that information, and a lot of highly-trained agents. In my personal opinion… we should issue a mass withdrawal order.”

The gathered Councillors, plus Eva Pierre, and two employees of the Kerlian Intelligence Service began to talk over each other, arguing and yelling, until Councillor Chiu brought her hand down on a filing cabinet, making a loud clanging noise.

“Quiet!” she demanded. “We must consider all options in this time of crisis. I fear the response this could bring upon us. I understand that the suggestion is controversial, but we can at least hear Nirmala out.”

“Thank you,” Nirmala replied as the room fell silent. “The Programme is discovered. We cannot change that, much as we may like to. The entire premise of the Aurora Programme is that it was secret. As long as there is any suspicion of it, there will be increased background checks for women applying for the kinds of positions we want our agents to apply for, and it will put them in danger. If they are being actively hunted, they are already in danger, especially since we have yet to discover the source of the leak. Ms. Sasaki, can you please update us on that?”

Kat Sasaki, the sister of Adelina – the Restricted Region interrogator in charge of the group sent to Xiomera – stepped forwards. She was a high-ranking official in the Kerlian Intelligence Service, though nobody was entirely sure what her job entailed.

“We have concluded that it was not hacked, nor was it accessed by any member of the Robinson family. In fact, no documents have been removed from that facility without authorisation since increased surveillance began over a year ago. Whoever leaked these documents already had them in their possession before the signing of the Haven Accords. Which is bad news in terms of tracking them – but good news in that their information is, and will continue to be, outdated.”

“So, it could still be Carmen Robinson, then?” asked Eva Pierre.

“No, she was under surveillance at the time, there is no way she was responsible, either through taking action herself or giving an order,” Kat shook her head. “Yet I would be remiss if I did not mention the possibility that one of her co-conspirators from the initial leak is continuing, perhaps with her approval.”

“No,” Jennifer said, shaking her head. She looked around at the room. Of the subset of Councillors present, she was the only Reformist. Only she, Chiu, Patel and Pierre had attended the meeting. “This is… I shouldn’t say…”

“Out with it,” Chiu groaned, rolling her eyes.

“Carmen spoke with me. She had not intended for the leak to become public…”

“We already know her cover story,” Pauline interrupted. “I did not believe it when she said it, why should I believe it now?”

“Just listen!” Jennifer said irritably. “The USB was meant for me. Under the name Sonja Viratnen. She wanted me to stop Charissa Clarke in order to discredit the Programme. But then when you lot took me prisoner, the Lauchenoirians decided to give it to Laura Moore instead. So, in a way, this is the fault of whoever gave that order.”

“Oh Goddess,” groaned Chiu. “I wondered why Carmen was so dead against that when we voted on it. Everyone else was all for it and she was damn panicked.”

“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure this explains it,” Jennifer nodded.

“Right. Well…” Pauline trailed off. “I guess what is done, is done. We shall have to move forward with what we have.”

“If this is accurate,” Nirmala piped up, “then you have to concede that this is not entirely the fault of the Robinson family, Pauline.”

“Yes, well, let us not be hasty,” muttered Pauline.

“Okay, let’s review what we know. The first leak was a giant mistake created by internal Council politics and generational rivalries that you lot need to get over,” began Jennifer. “The second and third came from unknown sources, but not from Carmen Robinson. It is possible that someone involved in the first leak is continuing without Robinson’s approval. We also know that several foreign countries have announced that they are going to be hunting down Auroras, and several others have implied it. The question is: where do we go from here?”

“As I was saying,” Nirmala said. “I think our only move at this point is issuing a withdrawal order. The Programme is done.”

“I do not accept that,” Pauline snapped. “We can still salvage this. They will have heard, they will be smart enough to go to ground. They will get through this, they are well trained, and in a decade or so this will be forgotten and we can continue.”

“But what has it got us!?” Nirmala cried. “We activated Clarke and pushed Chaher into a coup in Lauchenoiria… and it ended with my mother in prison, our economy in tatters, rationing that affects even us and, worst, a reformist government! No offence, Jennifer.”

“Only a little taken,” Jennifer chuckled, finding the comment more amusing than anything else. “Look, I understand those arguments, and one might even expect me to agree… but honestly, I think it would be a mistake. I’m still not sure I support the existence of this, but if we contact them all at once it could be traced. It could put them in more danger. We need to be smart about this.”

“I still think we need to continue the programme,” Pauline argued.

“Agreed. We have put too much work in this to give up now,” nodded Eva.

“… you do not get a vote unless your mother and sister both die,” Nirmala said to Eva.

“Charming,” Chiu rolled her eyes. “I am with Jennifer on this one. Phased withdrawal. We give orders to those in the most dangerous places, or places we think may have more information than others. Those in the more dangerous positions. But we cannot make this decision alone. We need a full Council.”

“How can we have a full Council when two of our membership are in Shuell?” asked Pauline.

“They can appoint proxies. Daughters or sisters who remain behind. Or return, if they prefer,” suggested Chiu. “The new law we passed to deal with the TRC allows it.”

“That is true,” mused Pauline. “Very well. Letitia and Electra may appoint proxies. And we will have a full Council.”

“The day after tomorrow,” Chiu said. “All in the chamber. Fully closed session, naturally. A false agenda will be released full of things that we either would never pass, such as some of Jennifer’s bills…”

“Hey!”

“… or things we can pass in sixty seconds, such as the the pardon for Nirmala’s second cousin. We are all agreed on that, right?”

The Councillors nodded.

“Then it is agreed. Full Council, Thursday. Now, I think we can all go home,” Chiu sighed in relief as all the gathered women began to leave the room. Eva and Pauline disappeared into the house proper, and the two intelligence agents got into their dark cars. This left the three other Councillors waiting for their chauffeurs to bring their own cars around.

“Nirmala?” Jennifer said tentatively to Councillor Patel.

“Yes?” she replied.

“I didn’t expect you to take that position. Honestly, I’m pleased. I know we haven’t had the best working relationship, but we’re all in this together.”

“Jennifer…” Nirmala smiled and chuckled. “I do not dislike you, I merely disagree with you. I do not know what will happen at full Council, but I agree. On this, and in this time, all of us are in this together and we cannot let our ideological divides harm our nation.”

“I did not expect to see this,” Chiu laughed. “Nirmala Patel and Jennifer Hale being friendly. Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess. Well, our cars are here.”

The three Councillors got into their cars, being driven back to their own mansions. The full session on Thursday would reveal what was to be done about the Auroras… and it was shaping up to be a vote in which party lines would be meaningless.