04-17-2020, 08:20 AM
Sunday, April 12th
Laeralsford
Texōccoatl adjusted his tie, and straightened the flag pin on his lapel. After having arrived back in the Laeralite capital, he had taken the rest of the evening to rest, and draft a statement. He planned to utilize the access to the Laeralite and international media that had been provided to him very quickly.
The reporters had been assembled in a briefing room for him, and with a final tug of his lapels, the Crown Prince strode confidently into the room. If he was a man without a country, or a Prince without a throne, he showed no sign of it. He reached the podium and placed his tablet on it. He didn't need to refer to it, however; he already knew the words by heart. He had spent the entire evening poring over them.
"Thank you for coming to this press conference. I am Crown Prince Texōccoatl of the Xiomeran Empire. Despite the pronouncements of the military junta that has illegally taken over my country, I remain in my position as Ambassador-at-Large to the International Democratic Union, with full plenipotentiary power to speak on behalf of the legitimate Xiomeran government. In addition, until my mother, the Empress Yauhmi, can be freed from her dishonorable and disrespectful imprisonment and restored to her rightful place on the Obsidian Throne, I am acting as the Sovereign of Xiomera, with the full authority and privileges of that position."
Texōccoatl looked around the room. "Make no mistake, what has occurred in Xiomera over the past few days is an utterly illegal usurpation of power. Not just the power of the Throne, but the power of the people. It is not the Xiomeran people that wanted this to happen. It is a shadowy cabal of nationalists, authoritarians and wealthy elites, and their dupes in positions of power, who have made this happen. They have started this madness. But the Xiomeran people will finish it."
"To the people of Xiomera, I issue this plea: do not accept the attempt by this group of tyrants to seize power from you and reverse the progress we have made, or destroy our hope of future progress. I urge you to resist, with every fiber of your being, with everything you have, and fight these criminals who seek to impose their repression on our nation. This isn't about returning me to Xiomera, or even about returning an Empress to power. It is about nothing less than the future of Xiomera, and the fate of its people. The junta that has seized power, and the forces behind it, wish to return you to a position of peonage and servitude, to bend to their will. But together, we outnumber them in our millions. Do not let them frighten you, or intimidate you, into submission. They view themselves as your masters, but Xiomera is your country. Prove them wrong. Take to the streets, take to the countryside, to our factories, to our cities, and show them where the true power in Xiomera lies. Freedom can be yours, but you must seize it. And as soon as I can, I will join you in that fight."
"To the military of Xiomera: I was once a soldier, like you. Like you, I took an oath to serve our country with honor, and defend it against any enemy. The enemy in this fight does not exist outside our borders: it exists among us, in the iron fists of those who command you. The General Staff of the Xiomeran Armed Forces, which now styles itself as a 'provisional government,' has committed high treason. They have betrayed their oaths, broken their promises of honor, and waged war not on a foreign foe, but against our own people. They have waged war against their fellow brothers and sisters in arms. The recent video footage of their attack on the Palace of Flowers, and their making of war against its defenders, shows that these low scum hold nothing sacred. They bombed and assaulted the most precious center of Xiomeran heritage that there is - the symbol that represents our nation above all others. They blew apart its walls, and laid waste to its sacred halls. They showed their contempt for 600 years of Xiomeran heritage and history, and the honor that it represents, in a wave of fire and bullets. And worst of all, they slaughtered the defenders of the Palace, the Shorn Ones, who have protected the Palace of Flowers with honor for all of those 600 years. They sent you on a mission to kill your fellow soldiers, your fellow defenders of the Empire - and for what? For their own selfish desires. That order, and any that the junta may give you from now on, are illegal orders. You are not only under no obligation to obey those orders - you must refuse them. Your oaths demand it. Your promise to defend our nation and protect its people demand it. To my fellow men and women who, like me, know what it means to serve our country, your only course of action is clear. Any Xiomeran soldier who refuses to obey the orders of the junta, who accepts my authority, and who does not commit any crimes of war, will be given full amnesty once the rightful government of Xiomera is returned to power - even if they served the junta before that. This is my promise to you. Knowing this, you know the right thing to do."
"To the international community: on behalf of the legitimate government of Xiomera, I thank you for the support you have shown us. I would like to convey my particular thanks to the government of Laeral for allowing us to remain here, to have a refuge to lead the fight to take Xiomera back. President Liu and Foreign Minister Misra have both been extremely helpful and kind in doing so, and neither I nor the people of Xiomera will forget that kindness."
"And to the illegal usurpers of power who control Xiomera, for now, I say this: don't get comfortable. Soon, the people of the sun will rise. Soon, we will chase you from the Palace of Flowers, from the Ximac Fortress, from the Cauhloc, and from every pestilential hole where you may hide and scurry like the vermin you are. No matter how dark the night gets, no matter how overcast the sky, the sun always rises. And like the sun, Xiomera always rises as well. Xiomerans always rise, no matter what. You may be in the ascendancy now, but just like the sun, we shall rise and overcome you, and dispel your darkness. You will be eclipsed by our radiance, and fade into history."
---
Tlālacuetztla
Tlālzixiuhxa sighed irritably as she grabbed her emergency bag and the two burner phones she kept in her desk. She had been lucky to escape back to her old office at Tlālacuetztla Polytechnic, in the wake of the takeover. She quickly checked to make sure the bag had its expected contents: Xiomeran currency, untraceable like a credit or debit card. Spare clothes. Emergency rations. Several different forms of fake ID, although those would be of little use until she changed her appearance to match them using the disguise kit also included in the bag. Being one of the most famous faces in the country did that.
Just as she grabbed the bag and put on a hat to help hide her hair, the door to her office burst open. Three black-suited men were framed in the doorway. Gods be cursed, why must ASI agents be so stereotypical? Black suits, black ties, sunglasses....it's like they don't care if people know they're agents.
Tlālzixiuhxa realized, grimly, that they didn't care if people knew. In fact, they wanted people to know. You can't be scared of the boogeyman if you don't know he's there. It was all part and parcel of the old-school Xiomeran way of enforcing order: terror and fear.
Seeing the black-suited examples of the old Xiomera, the one her boss had been trying to change, suddenly made Tlālzixiuhxa quite happy. She was going to enjoy this.
"Imperial Spokeswoman Tlālzixiuhxa. By order of the Provisional Imperial Government, you must come with us. Put down your bag and stand away from it," the lead agent barked. Tlālzixiuhxa smiled politely. "Of course," she said, placing the bag on her desk. As the other two agents came forward to take her into custody, Tlālzixiuhxa waited. As they reached her and moved to grab her wrists, Tlālzixiuhxa sprung into action. One fist flung upward to jab fiercely into the nose of one of the ASI agents, fracturing it and sending him to the floor. A second fist swept downward, slamming into the other agent's groin and providing a disabling move of a different sort.
As the third agent cursed and grabbed for his sidearm, Tlālzixiuhxa grabbed her bag and flung it at his head. The bag slammed right into his face, distracting him. As he looked back up, a foot clad in a high-end pump came towards his face. As he fell from the force of the kick, Tlālzixiuhxa picked her bag up again and slammed it into his head.
Tlālzixiuhxa quickly disarmed the agents and tossed their sidearms into her bag. She looked at the ASI agents. "I could kill you all, but I am not cruel like your bosses are. You really should consider changing sides," she said, before smacking all three agents in the head again with sufficient force to knock them out. She took a moment to recover her breath....she wasn't as young as she had once been, to be performing such athletic maneuvers. As Tlālzixiuhxa took the opportunity to make her now-hasty departure, she sighed again. Whoever's running ASI now has no clue. Only sending three agents to apprehend a former Aurora? Dunces.
---
Huānoch, Milintica
President Matōchmizalo stood in front of the Representative Assembly of Milintica. His hands slightly caressed the wood of the podium as he looked around the chamber. He had talked over what he was about to say, at length, with Prime Minister Tapihana and the Cabinet. It had been an intense and long discussion. But, in the end, a decision had been made.
Matōchmizalo felt a mix of emotions: disbelief that he was about to give this speech, fear at its possible consequences. But, most of all, he felt there was hope. And that he could deliver it.
"Representatives of the Assembly. I am here to discuss events in the Xiomeran Empire," he began, his voice firming up as he launched into his speech. "But first, I must make a confession. As you know, we were struggling with our response to the recent outbreak of the AD14 Adenovirus, until we received help from foreign sources. Until now, my government has declined to state who provided the aid, leading to rumors that we accepted aid from Xiomera. I come before you now to say this: the rumors are true."
At the admission, the Chamber entered into an uproar. Xiomera had been the declared enemy of Milintica for centuries, and it was considered treasonous to have dealings with the Xiomeran Empire. "Representatives! Please! Allow me to explain," Matōchmizalo shouted repeatedly, until the shouting finally subsided. "Yes, we did accept aid from the Xiomerans. And without that aid, thousands of our people would have died. Would this great body of democracy have had me refuse the aid, and watch as our people died by the thousands in our streets, knowing I could have prevented it? That I refused help, no matter the source, and let peoples' parents, children and friends lose their lives?"
Into the sudden silence, the President continued. "Yes, I accepted aid from the Xiomerans. Yes, I broke the laws of Milintica to do it. And if you would have me punished as a traitor, so be it. I saved thousands of our people. I can live with any consequences of that choice. I could not have lived with the ghosts of those we could have lost constantly at my ear, reminding me that I put stubborn pride and ancient resentments over the lives of those who are here and now!"
"So, we accepted aid from the Xiomeran Empire, from the Empress Yauhmi. That aid was offered to us with no strings attached, no expectations, no rules or demands. Only the hope that, by making up for the sins of their ancestors, that the Xiomerans could be redeemed in our eyes. They may have been our enemies, 600 years ago. They are not now. At least, not the ones who saved our people."
Matōchmizalo looked over at the Prime Minister for a moment, who nodded. Their talk about letting go of the sins of the past resonated in the President's mind as he continued.
"Xiomera, under the Empress Yauhmi, wanted to make up for how they wronged us, so long ago. They wanted to do better. They wanted to reunite with us, the lost sons and daughters of Huenya, banished so long ago. Under the Empress Yauhmi, there was a chance that the ancient schism between us could have been healed, and that we could finally have been at peace and reunited with our ancient homeland. But that chance has been stolen. The junta of militaristic, traditionalist, imperialist donkeys who have seized control of Xiomera, and removed Yauhmi from power, have not just stolen Xiomera from its people. They have stolen our chance to finally be at peace from us. They have stolen the chance to heal the ancient rift, to end the state of fear and isolation we have lived in, the chance to resolve the sins of the past, from us. We must not allow this to pass."
President Matōchmizalo looked around the Chamber once more. "I am asking this Assembly to declare that we recognize the government in exile of Crown Prince Texōccoatl as the rightful government of Xiomera, in lieu of returning his mother, the Empress Yauhmi, to power. I am asking that we establish relations with his government. I am also asking that we denounce, clearly and unequivocally, the criminal and unjust actions of this so-called 'Provisional Imperial Government', and demand that they relinquish control of Xiomera to the Empress. And I also ask this Assembly to declare that Milintica will be a refuge for anyone opposing the junta, and will protect them from these usurpers."
The Chamber erupted into shouting again, and the President once more waved everyone down. "I know this is a radical departure from our attitudes and policies of the past. But what have those policies and attitudes done for us? Nothing. We have feared, and hated, Xiomera for centuries. We are the ones who have suffered because of that fear - placing ourselves in isolation, hiding behind our walls, fearing the world. It is time, I say, for a new Milintica - one that is no longer afraid. I say that we stand with the Xiomerans who have shown they are willing to change, and oppose those that will not. And no matter what happens, we will face it unafraid. And together with the good Xiomerans, let us reclaim our mantle as the people of the sun, and reclaim our own legacy as children of Huenya. Whether we are Huenyan or Paora, as Milinticans, let us stand up to this strutting junta, who have the same attitudes as those ancient Xiomerans who first exiled us! Let us stop huddling in fear on this island, and shout to the world: we are not afraid, and we will stand up for what is right!"
The Chamber erupted yet again....this time in applause.
In short order, the Representative Assembly of Milintica passed three measures. The first was a formal recognition of the government of Xiomera in exile. The second was an authorization for Milintica to offer to establish diplomatic relations with that government. The last one was a formal declaration that Milintica would offer refuge to "anyone seeking safe haven from the repression of the junta that has taken over Xiomera".
Laeralsford
Texōccoatl adjusted his tie, and straightened the flag pin on his lapel. After having arrived back in the Laeralite capital, he had taken the rest of the evening to rest, and draft a statement. He planned to utilize the access to the Laeralite and international media that had been provided to him very quickly.
The reporters had been assembled in a briefing room for him, and with a final tug of his lapels, the Crown Prince strode confidently into the room. If he was a man without a country, or a Prince without a throne, he showed no sign of it. He reached the podium and placed his tablet on it. He didn't need to refer to it, however; he already knew the words by heart. He had spent the entire evening poring over them.
"Thank you for coming to this press conference. I am Crown Prince Texōccoatl of the Xiomeran Empire. Despite the pronouncements of the military junta that has illegally taken over my country, I remain in my position as Ambassador-at-Large to the International Democratic Union, with full plenipotentiary power to speak on behalf of the legitimate Xiomeran government. In addition, until my mother, the Empress Yauhmi, can be freed from her dishonorable and disrespectful imprisonment and restored to her rightful place on the Obsidian Throne, I am acting as the Sovereign of Xiomera, with the full authority and privileges of that position."
Texōccoatl looked around the room. "Make no mistake, what has occurred in Xiomera over the past few days is an utterly illegal usurpation of power. Not just the power of the Throne, but the power of the people. It is not the Xiomeran people that wanted this to happen. It is a shadowy cabal of nationalists, authoritarians and wealthy elites, and their dupes in positions of power, who have made this happen. They have started this madness. But the Xiomeran people will finish it."
"To the people of Xiomera, I issue this plea: do not accept the attempt by this group of tyrants to seize power from you and reverse the progress we have made, or destroy our hope of future progress. I urge you to resist, with every fiber of your being, with everything you have, and fight these criminals who seek to impose their repression on our nation. This isn't about returning me to Xiomera, or even about returning an Empress to power. It is about nothing less than the future of Xiomera, and the fate of its people. The junta that has seized power, and the forces behind it, wish to return you to a position of peonage and servitude, to bend to their will. But together, we outnumber them in our millions. Do not let them frighten you, or intimidate you, into submission. They view themselves as your masters, but Xiomera is your country. Prove them wrong. Take to the streets, take to the countryside, to our factories, to our cities, and show them where the true power in Xiomera lies. Freedom can be yours, but you must seize it. And as soon as I can, I will join you in that fight."
"To the military of Xiomera: I was once a soldier, like you. Like you, I took an oath to serve our country with honor, and defend it against any enemy. The enemy in this fight does not exist outside our borders: it exists among us, in the iron fists of those who command you. The General Staff of the Xiomeran Armed Forces, which now styles itself as a 'provisional government,' has committed high treason. They have betrayed their oaths, broken their promises of honor, and waged war not on a foreign foe, but against our own people. They have waged war against their fellow brothers and sisters in arms. The recent video footage of their attack on the Palace of Flowers, and their making of war against its defenders, shows that these low scum hold nothing sacred. They bombed and assaulted the most precious center of Xiomeran heritage that there is - the symbol that represents our nation above all others. They blew apart its walls, and laid waste to its sacred halls. They showed their contempt for 600 years of Xiomeran heritage and history, and the honor that it represents, in a wave of fire and bullets. And worst of all, they slaughtered the defenders of the Palace, the Shorn Ones, who have protected the Palace of Flowers with honor for all of those 600 years. They sent you on a mission to kill your fellow soldiers, your fellow defenders of the Empire - and for what? For their own selfish desires. That order, and any that the junta may give you from now on, are illegal orders. You are not only under no obligation to obey those orders - you must refuse them. Your oaths demand it. Your promise to defend our nation and protect its people demand it. To my fellow men and women who, like me, know what it means to serve our country, your only course of action is clear. Any Xiomeran soldier who refuses to obey the orders of the junta, who accepts my authority, and who does not commit any crimes of war, will be given full amnesty once the rightful government of Xiomera is returned to power - even if they served the junta before that. This is my promise to you. Knowing this, you know the right thing to do."
"To the international community: on behalf of the legitimate government of Xiomera, I thank you for the support you have shown us. I would like to convey my particular thanks to the government of Laeral for allowing us to remain here, to have a refuge to lead the fight to take Xiomera back. President Liu and Foreign Minister Misra have both been extremely helpful and kind in doing so, and neither I nor the people of Xiomera will forget that kindness."
"And to the illegal usurpers of power who control Xiomera, for now, I say this: don't get comfortable. Soon, the people of the sun will rise. Soon, we will chase you from the Palace of Flowers, from the Ximac Fortress, from the Cauhloc, and from every pestilential hole where you may hide and scurry like the vermin you are. No matter how dark the night gets, no matter how overcast the sky, the sun always rises. And like the sun, Xiomera always rises as well. Xiomerans always rise, no matter what. You may be in the ascendancy now, but just like the sun, we shall rise and overcome you, and dispel your darkness. You will be eclipsed by our radiance, and fade into history."
---
Tlālacuetztla
Tlālzixiuhxa sighed irritably as she grabbed her emergency bag and the two burner phones she kept in her desk. She had been lucky to escape back to her old office at Tlālacuetztla Polytechnic, in the wake of the takeover. She quickly checked to make sure the bag had its expected contents: Xiomeran currency, untraceable like a credit or debit card. Spare clothes. Emergency rations. Several different forms of fake ID, although those would be of little use until she changed her appearance to match them using the disguise kit also included in the bag. Being one of the most famous faces in the country did that.
Just as she grabbed the bag and put on a hat to help hide her hair, the door to her office burst open. Three black-suited men were framed in the doorway. Gods be cursed, why must ASI agents be so stereotypical? Black suits, black ties, sunglasses....it's like they don't care if people know they're agents.
Tlālzixiuhxa realized, grimly, that they didn't care if people knew. In fact, they wanted people to know. You can't be scared of the boogeyman if you don't know he's there. It was all part and parcel of the old-school Xiomeran way of enforcing order: terror and fear.
Seeing the black-suited examples of the old Xiomera, the one her boss had been trying to change, suddenly made Tlālzixiuhxa quite happy. She was going to enjoy this.
"Imperial Spokeswoman Tlālzixiuhxa. By order of the Provisional Imperial Government, you must come with us. Put down your bag and stand away from it," the lead agent barked. Tlālzixiuhxa smiled politely. "Of course," she said, placing the bag on her desk. As the other two agents came forward to take her into custody, Tlālzixiuhxa waited. As they reached her and moved to grab her wrists, Tlālzixiuhxa sprung into action. One fist flung upward to jab fiercely into the nose of one of the ASI agents, fracturing it and sending him to the floor. A second fist swept downward, slamming into the other agent's groin and providing a disabling move of a different sort.
As the third agent cursed and grabbed for his sidearm, Tlālzixiuhxa grabbed her bag and flung it at his head. The bag slammed right into his face, distracting him. As he looked back up, a foot clad in a high-end pump came towards his face. As he fell from the force of the kick, Tlālzixiuhxa picked her bag up again and slammed it into his head.
Tlālzixiuhxa quickly disarmed the agents and tossed their sidearms into her bag. She looked at the ASI agents. "I could kill you all, but I am not cruel like your bosses are. You really should consider changing sides," she said, before smacking all three agents in the head again with sufficient force to knock them out. She took a moment to recover her breath....she wasn't as young as she had once been, to be performing such athletic maneuvers. As Tlālzixiuhxa took the opportunity to make her now-hasty departure, she sighed again. Whoever's running ASI now has no clue. Only sending three agents to apprehend a former Aurora? Dunces.
---
Huānoch, Milintica
President Matōchmizalo stood in front of the Representative Assembly of Milintica. His hands slightly caressed the wood of the podium as he looked around the chamber. He had talked over what he was about to say, at length, with Prime Minister Tapihana and the Cabinet. It had been an intense and long discussion. But, in the end, a decision had been made.
Matōchmizalo felt a mix of emotions: disbelief that he was about to give this speech, fear at its possible consequences. But, most of all, he felt there was hope. And that he could deliver it.
"Representatives of the Assembly. I am here to discuss events in the Xiomeran Empire," he began, his voice firming up as he launched into his speech. "But first, I must make a confession. As you know, we were struggling with our response to the recent outbreak of the AD14 Adenovirus, until we received help from foreign sources. Until now, my government has declined to state who provided the aid, leading to rumors that we accepted aid from Xiomera. I come before you now to say this: the rumors are true."
At the admission, the Chamber entered into an uproar. Xiomera had been the declared enemy of Milintica for centuries, and it was considered treasonous to have dealings with the Xiomeran Empire. "Representatives! Please! Allow me to explain," Matōchmizalo shouted repeatedly, until the shouting finally subsided. "Yes, we did accept aid from the Xiomerans. And without that aid, thousands of our people would have died. Would this great body of democracy have had me refuse the aid, and watch as our people died by the thousands in our streets, knowing I could have prevented it? That I refused help, no matter the source, and let peoples' parents, children and friends lose their lives?"
Into the sudden silence, the President continued. "Yes, I accepted aid from the Xiomerans. Yes, I broke the laws of Milintica to do it. And if you would have me punished as a traitor, so be it. I saved thousands of our people. I can live with any consequences of that choice. I could not have lived with the ghosts of those we could have lost constantly at my ear, reminding me that I put stubborn pride and ancient resentments over the lives of those who are here and now!"
"So, we accepted aid from the Xiomeran Empire, from the Empress Yauhmi. That aid was offered to us with no strings attached, no expectations, no rules or demands. Only the hope that, by making up for the sins of their ancestors, that the Xiomerans could be redeemed in our eyes. They may have been our enemies, 600 years ago. They are not now. At least, not the ones who saved our people."
Matōchmizalo looked over at the Prime Minister for a moment, who nodded. Their talk about letting go of the sins of the past resonated in the President's mind as he continued.
"Xiomera, under the Empress Yauhmi, wanted to make up for how they wronged us, so long ago. They wanted to do better. They wanted to reunite with us, the lost sons and daughters of Huenya, banished so long ago. Under the Empress Yauhmi, there was a chance that the ancient schism between us could have been healed, and that we could finally have been at peace and reunited with our ancient homeland. But that chance has been stolen. The junta of militaristic, traditionalist, imperialist donkeys who have seized control of Xiomera, and removed Yauhmi from power, have not just stolen Xiomera from its people. They have stolen our chance to finally be at peace from us. They have stolen the chance to heal the ancient rift, to end the state of fear and isolation we have lived in, the chance to resolve the sins of the past, from us. We must not allow this to pass."
President Matōchmizalo looked around the Chamber once more. "I am asking this Assembly to declare that we recognize the government in exile of Crown Prince Texōccoatl as the rightful government of Xiomera, in lieu of returning his mother, the Empress Yauhmi, to power. I am asking that we establish relations with his government. I am also asking that we denounce, clearly and unequivocally, the criminal and unjust actions of this so-called 'Provisional Imperial Government', and demand that they relinquish control of Xiomera to the Empress. And I also ask this Assembly to declare that Milintica will be a refuge for anyone opposing the junta, and will protect them from these usurpers."
The Chamber erupted into shouting again, and the President once more waved everyone down. "I know this is a radical departure from our attitudes and policies of the past. But what have those policies and attitudes done for us? Nothing. We have feared, and hated, Xiomera for centuries. We are the ones who have suffered because of that fear - placing ourselves in isolation, hiding behind our walls, fearing the world. It is time, I say, for a new Milintica - one that is no longer afraid. I say that we stand with the Xiomerans who have shown they are willing to change, and oppose those that will not. And no matter what happens, we will face it unafraid. And together with the good Xiomerans, let us reclaim our mantle as the people of the sun, and reclaim our own legacy as children of Huenya. Whether we are Huenyan or Paora, as Milinticans, let us stand up to this strutting junta, who have the same attitudes as those ancient Xiomerans who first exiled us! Let us stop huddling in fear on this island, and shout to the world: we are not afraid, and we will stand up for what is right!"
The Chamber erupted yet again....this time in applause.
In short order, the Representative Assembly of Milintica passed three measures. The first was a formal recognition of the government of Xiomera in exile. The second was an authorization for Milintica to offer to establish diplomatic relations with that government. The last one was a formal declaration that Milintica would offer refuge to "anyone seeking safe haven from the repression of the junta that has taken over Xiomera".
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