05-31-2020, 09:08 AM
May 31st
Laeralsford
The letter from WOE came at just the right time, at least in the sense of being properly reviewed by the government in exile.
Crown Prince Texōccoatl, having gained access to the funds that had previously been controlled by the Xiomeran junta in multiple IDU nations, now had the money to support an actual functioning government. The Xiomeran embassy had finally returned to its original purpose, much to the relief of Ambassador Quetmiilnaxī. The embassy had become quite cramped until the move.
Near the embassy, a stately (and more importantly, large) old villa had been available to rent at terms that the Xiomerans, used to the exorbitant real estate costs in Tlālacuetztla, had found quite reasonable. The villa became the new home of what had now assumed a formal name: The Council of National Reunification and Reconciliation of Her Majesty's Imperial Government. The name, while unwieldy in length, did serve the purpose of very clearly stating what its intent was: reuniting Xiomera under the legitimate government, and reconciling the issues that had caused the coup in the first place. Texōccoatl, ever confident in eventual victory, had also chosen the name to make it clear that once the rightful government was restored, that there would be a process to reckon with those who started the coup, and carried out its orders.
Finding new quarters for the CNRR had also become necessary because of other developments. Admiral Techilō and Brigadier General Tlanexchel had deemed the security arrangements at the embassy to be utterly unacceptable. The villa was much more defensible, and the two platoons of Jaguar and Eagle Warriors that the fleet had supplied for its protection gave everyone a much greater feeling of security. While the Xiomerans had confidence in Laeral's security forces, and also didn't think that Xochiuhue would be stupid enough to try to attack the government in exile somehow, it was deemed wise to not put too much confidence in the sanity, morals or common sense of people like Xochiuhue or General Xōchhuitl.
With the Admiral and her fleet off on maneuvers off the Xiomeran coast with the Eirians, Tlanexchel had become the Secretary of Defense for the CNRR. The ranks of the Council were steadily growing, as Xiomerans who had either been outside the country, or had somehow managed to escape from it, arrived in Laeralsford to serve in the cause of Xiomeran liberation. A full Cabinet had been formed around Texōccoatl, and was now acting as the official government.
It was in front of this Cabinet that the Crown Prince read the letter from WOE. A silence lingered in the room after it was finished. Finally, Secretary Nōlinyauh coughed slightly. "This is certainly an, um, interesting offer," he said. "But do we really think these activists are up for what they'll be facing? Intelligence reports from Manauia Island indicate that the governor that the junta installed is going full-on tyrant on the entire island. Burning villages, setting fire to the jungle and dumping deforesting agents on it, rounding people up in internment camps....if we accept their offer, we could be sending these Lauchenoirians into a slaughter."
"They claim to have experience fighting in their civil war, which is more experience than anyone else fighting the junta forces on Manauia Island has," Tlanexchel said bluntly. "They will be no less prepared than anyone else there. And I have to be honest here, we need all the help we can get. We still do not have enough force to take on the junta openly on the battlefield. Anyone willing to pick up a gun to help our cause is essential."
"But they will be fighting for their cause, not ours," Xohuā, the newly appointed Secretary of Infrastructure, said. "They're only concerned about their environmental goals, they could care less about restoring the Empress to power or saving Xiomera. They kind of hate us, actually."
"A lot of people hate Xiomerans," Tlanexchel said calmly. "That's no reason to turn down their help."
"I don't know if I trust this group or their offer," Xohuā demurred. "I feel they are in this for their own reasons, and will expect something from us for their help."
"Of course they will expect something for it," Texōccoatl laughed. "Don't be naive, Xohuā. Every single country, every single organization, every single person helping us will expect something from us. A good many things will be changing in Xiomera after we defeat this coup, I suspect. A good many people will be expecting them to change, demanding that they change. These Lauchenoirians will just be part of the queue demanding wholesale change in Xiomera once this is all over, to make sure that this never happens again. And that's kind of the idea of what we're doing here, isn't it?"
The rest of the Cabinet fell silent, faced with the truth of what the Crown Prince was saying. No matter what happened, Xiomera would never be the same after the coup. Multiple foreign countries and various other groups that the CNRR had made deals with would demand changes. For that matter, so would millions of Xiomerans. The status quo would be definitively dead, one way or the other.
"Thank you, everyone," Texōccoatl said, his tone of voice making it clear the meeting was over. As everyone stood up, the Crown Prince waved to Nōlinyauh and Tlanexchel. "Wait aside for a moment, gentlemen." When the three of them were alone, the Crown Prince nodded to Nōlinyauh. "Respond to the WOE and inform them that their offer to send a delegate to meet with us is accepted. Arrange for transportation and a hotel room for them to come here. Also....General Tlanexchel, I want you to begin reaching out to mercenary companies around the IDU to bolster our numbers. Start in Shuell, that's where most of them seem to come from these days. And if the other side is importing Shuellians to fight their battles for them, who better to help us counter that threat than others from that pool?"
"I do not trust mercenaries," Tlanexchel sighed. "Nor should you," Texōccoatl replied. "But I can't fight off the junta with one fleet and a bunch of politicians in this building. I never thought I would be recruiting Milinticans and Lauchenoirians and Shuellians and gods know who else to fight battles for Xiomerans, but here we are. Just get it done, please. One other thing. Has there been any progress made in locating where my mother is being held?"
Tlanexchel and Nōlinyauh looked at each other, before Nōlinyauh shook his head slowly. "Our internal sources have managed to figure out she is not being held in the Cauhloc, nor at any of the other known ASI locations. But the ASI black sites....we don't even know where all of those are, much less who is held there. We are trying to narrow it down, but it takes time."
"Time is something that I fear my mother does not have much left of," Texōccoatl said somberly, as the other two men looked down at the table.
---
ASI Detention Facility Alpha-73B
Yauhmi had lost track of how long she had been in detention.
She had lost track of many things.
She couldn't remember the faces of her torturers, or how often they came for her, anymore. The people, the days and nights, the circumstances had all become a blur of unrelenting misery now.
She did remember that they were all Xiomeran. Her own people, subjecting her to such treatment. The thought, even now, still made her blood boil, but that rage was becoming harder and harder to summon. Bit by bit, her strength was wearing away.
This day was different, though. No one had come for her all day. This was highly unusual, enough to strike a chord in her mind of wariness. A change in routine often means upheaval, Yauhmi thought. As the door to her detention cell finally rattled open, she tried to steel herself once more for what was coming.
"Well, well, you certainly look like hell," the woman walking in said smugly. Yauhmi didn't need help anymore to summon her rage on seeing the face. Calhualyana walked no closer to the deposed Empress than the middle of the cell, although it hardly mattered since Yauhmi was restrained to her bed by a handcuff. "Are our accomodations not as comfortable as you're accustomed to? Not getting enough sleep, maybe? Not enough of our wonderful food?"
The sleep deprivation and the military-grade rations that you toss to me through the door? Oh yes, it reminds me of a five star hotel, Yauhmi thought irritably. "I am surprised to see you here, Secretary Calhualyana. How nice of you to find time from your busy schedule of prostituting yourself to General Xōchhuitl and his fellow traitors to pay a visit," Yauhmi purred in a royal tone underlain with razor blades.
Calhualyana's face stiffened, but quickly resumed a smile. "I have plenty of time, Yauhmi. All the time in the world. Your time, however, is much more fleeting."
"Is it, now," Yauhmi breathed. "And why is that?"
Calhualyana triumphantly pulled a copy of the print edition of XIN from her briefcase. She held it up, revealing the headlines to Yauhmi: Great Selection Proclaims New Emperor. Xochiuhue To Usher In New Era. And, in a side article: Empress Yauhmi Signs Abdication, Resigns In Disgrace.
"What nonsense. I never signed anything," Yauhmi snapped. Did I? No. I didn't. I would never have.
"Sure you did. We have the signature on record. It's over, Yauhmi. We don't need you anymore. We have a new Emperor, and a new future for Xiomera."
"You have a fool whose head will join yours, and Xōchhuitl's, and the rest of your cabal of traitors, on spears outside the Palace of Flowers when Texōccoatl returns to Xiomera," Yauhmi replied darkly.
"No, I think not," Calhualyana said. "Either way, you will not be around to see it. As I said, we don't need you anymore. You are now a liability. Your time is indeed about to run out," the Security Secretary said. She folded up the paper and put it back in her briefcase. "I just wanted to give you one last goodbye. After this...you were always so fond of Kerlians. You let off all those cursed Auroras when we should've put them all in chains and leveled Kerlile for the impertinence of trying to manipulate us. You, along with your idiot husband, pushed that alliance with them so hard. Well, since you love Kerlians so much, I plan to let you spend your last moments on this planet with them. Remember those torturers that we hired under Project Ītzpāpālōtl? I will be delivering you to them to finish you off. I won't soil Xiomerans' hands with that task. And I do so love the irony of this outcome. Goodbye, Yauhmi." Calhualyana chuckled one last time before walking out of the cell.
As the door clanged shut with the echo of a coffin lid, Yauhmi laid back slowly on the bed. She had believed that somehow she would emerge triumphant from this, as she had every other challenge in her life. She had to admit, now, that the chances were quite against her.
Laeralsford
The letter from WOE came at just the right time, at least in the sense of being properly reviewed by the government in exile.
Crown Prince Texōccoatl, having gained access to the funds that had previously been controlled by the Xiomeran junta in multiple IDU nations, now had the money to support an actual functioning government. The Xiomeran embassy had finally returned to its original purpose, much to the relief of Ambassador Quetmiilnaxī. The embassy had become quite cramped until the move.
Near the embassy, a stately (and more importantly, large) old villa had been available to rent at terms that the Xiomerans, used to the exorbitant real estate costs in Tlālacuetztla, had found quite reasonable. The villa became the new home of what had now assumed a formal name: The Council of National Reunification and Reconciliation of Her Majesty's Imperial Government. The name, while unwieldy in length, did serve the purpose of very clearly stating what its intent was: reuniting Xiomera under the legitimate government, and reconciling the issues that had caused the coup in the first place. Texōccoatl, ever confident in eventual victory, had also chosen the name to make it clear that once the rightful government was restored, that there would be a process to reckon with those who started the coup, and carried out its orders.
Finding new quarters for the CNRR had also become necessary because of other developments. Admiral Techilō and Brigadier General Tlanexchel had deemed the security arrangements at the embassy to be utterly unacceptable. The villa was much more defensible, and the two platoons of Jaguar and Eagle Warriors that the fleet had supplied for its protection gave everyone a much greater feeling of security. While the Xiomerans had confidence in Laeral's security forces, and also didn't think that Xochiuhue would be stupid enough to try to attack the government in exile somehow, it was deemed wise to not put too much confidence in the sanity, morals or common sense of people like Xochiuhue or General Xōchhuitl.
With the Admiral and her fleet off on maneuvers off the Xiomeran coast with the Eirians, Tlanexchel had become the Secretary of Defense for the CNRR. The ranks of the Council were steadily growing, as Xiomerans who had either been outside the country, or had somehow managed to escape from it, arrived in Laeralsford to serve in the cause of Xiomeran liberation. A full Cabinet had been formed around Texōccoatl, and was now acting as the official government.
It was in front of this Cabinet that the Crown Prince read the letter from WOE. A silence lingered in the room after it was finished. Finally, Secretary Nōlinyauh coughed slightly. "This is certainly an, um, interesting offer," he said. "But do we really think these activists are up for what they'll be facing? Intelligence reports from Manauia Island indicate that the governor that the junta installed is going full-on tyrant on the entire island. Burning villages, setting fire to the jungle and dumping deforesting agents on it, rounding people up in internment camps....if we accept their offer, we could be sending these Lauchenoirians into a slaughter."
"They claim to have experience fighting in their civil war, which is more experience than anyone else fighting the junta forces on Manauia Island has," Tlanexchel said bluntly. "They will be no less prepared than anyone else there. And I have to be honest here, we need all the help we can get. We still do not have enough force to take on the junta openly on the battlefield. Anyone willing to pick up a gun to help our cause is essential."
"But they will be fighting for their cause, not ours," Xohuā, the newly appointed Secretary of Infrastructure, said. "They're only concerned about their environmental goals, they could care less about restoring the Empress to power or saving Xiomera. They kind of hate us, actually."
"A lot of people hate Xiomerans," Tlanexchel said calmly. "That's no reason to turn down their help."
"I don't know if I trust this group or their offer," Xohuā demurred. "I feel they are in this for their own reasons, and will expect something from us for their help."
"Of course they will expect something for it," Texōccoatl laughed. "Don't be naive, Xohuā. Every single country, every single organization, every single person helping us will expect something from us. A good many things will be changing in Xiomera after we defeat this coup, I suspect. A good many people will be expecting them to change, demanding that they change. These Lauchenoirians will just be part of the queue demanding wholesale change in Xiomera once this is all over, to make sure that this never happens again. And that's kind of the idea of what we're doing here, isn't it?"
The rest of the Cabinet fell silent, faced with the truth of what the Crown Prince was saying. No matter what happened, Xiomera would never be the same after the coup. Multiple foreign countries and various other groups that the CNRR had made deals with would demand changes. For that matter, so would millions of Xiomerans. The status quo would be definitively dead, one way or the other.
"Thank you, everyone," Texōccoatl said, his tone of voice making it clear the meeting was over. As everyone stood up, the Crown Prince waved to Nōlinyauh and Tlanexchel. "Wait aside for a moment, gentlemen." When the three of them were alone, the Crown Prince nodded to Nōlinyauh. "Respond to the WOE and inform them that their offer to send a delegate to meet with us is accepted. Arrange for transportation and a hotel room for them to come here. Also....General Tlanexchel, I want you to begin reaching out to mercenary companies around the IDU to bolster our numbers. Start in Shuell, that's where most of them seem to come from these days. And if the other side is importing Shuellians to fight their battles for them, who better to help us counter that threat than others from that pool?"
"I do not trust mercenaries," Tlanexchel sighed. "Nor should you," Texōccoatl replied. "But I can't fight off the junta with one fleet and a bunch of politicians in this building. I never thought I would be recruiting Milinticans and Lauchenoirians and Shuellians and gods know who else to fight battles for Xiomerans, but here we are. Just get it done, please. One other thing. Has there been any progress made in locating where my mother is being held?"
Tlanexchel and Nōlinyauh looked at each other, before Nōlinyauh shook his head slowly. "Our internal sources have managed to figure out she is not being held in the Cauhloc, nor at any of the other known ASI locations. But the ASI black sites....we don't even know where all of those are, much less who is held there. We are trying to narrow it down, but it takes time."
"Time is something that I fear my mother does not have much left of," Texōccoatl said somberly, as the other two men looked down at the table.
---
ASI Detention Facility Alpha-73B
Yauhmi had lost track of how long she had been in detention.
She had lost track of many things.
She couldn't remember the faces of her torturers, or how often they came for her, anymore. The people, the days and nights, the circumstances had all become a blur of unrelenting misery now.
She did remember that they were all Xiomeran. Her own people, subjecting her to such treatment. The thought, even now, still made her blood boil, but that rage was becoming harder and harder to summon. Bit by bit, her strength was wearing away.
This day was different, though. No one had come for her all day. This was highly unusual, enough to strike a chord in her mind of wariness. A change in routine often means upheaval, Yauhmi thought. As the door to her detention cell finally rattled open, she tried to steel herself once more for what was coming.
"Well, well, you certainly look like hell," the woman walking in said smugly. Yauhmi didn't need help anymore to summon her rage on seeing the face. Calhualyana walked no closer to the deposed Empress than the middle of the cell, although it hardly mattered since Yauhmi was restrained to her bed by a handcuff. "Are our accomodations not as comfortable as you're accustomed to? Not getting enough sleep, maybe? Not enough of our wonderful food?"
The sleep deprivation and the military-grade rations that you toss to me through the door? Oh yes, it reminds me of a five star hotel, Yauhmi thought irritably. "I am surprised to see you here, Secretary Calhualyana. How nice of you to find time from your busy schedule of prostituting yourself to General Xōchhuitl and his fellow traitors to pay a visit," Yauhmi purred in a royal tone underlain with razor blades.
Calhualyana's face stiffened, but quickly resumed a smile. "I have plenty of time, Yauhmi. All the time in the world. Your time, however, is much more fleeting."
"Is it, now," Yauhmi breathed. "And why is that?"
Calhualyana triumphantly pulled a copy of the print edition of XIN from her briefcase. She held it up, revealing the headlines to Yauhmi: Great Selection Proclaims New Emperor. Xochiuhue To Usher In New Era. And, in a side article: Empress Yauhmi Signs Abdication, Resigns In Disgrace.
"What nonsense. I never signed anything," Yauhmi snapped. Did I? No. I didn't. I would never have.
"Sure you did. We have the signature on record. It's over, Yauhmi. We don't need you anymore. We have a new Emperor, and a new future for Xiomera."
"You have a fool whose head will join yours, and Xōchhuitl's, and the rest of your cabal of traitors, on spears outside the Palace of Flowers when Texōccoatl returns to Xiomera," Yauhmi replied darkly.
"No, I think not," Calhualyana said. "Either way, you will not be around to see it. As I said, we don't need you anymore. You are now a liability. Your time is indeed about to run out," the Security Secretary said. She folded up the paper and put it back in her briefcase. "I just wanted to give you one last goodbye. After this...you were always so fond of Kerlians. You let off all those cursed Auroras when we should've put them all in chains and leveled Kerlile for the impertinence of trying to manipulate us. You, along with your idiot husband, pushed that alliance with them so hard. Well, since you love Kerlians so much, I plan to let you spend your last moments on this planet with them. Remember those torturers that we hired under Project Ītzpāpālōtl? I will be delivering you to them to finish you off. I won't soil Xiomerans' hands with that task. And I do so love the irony of this outcome. Goodbye, Yauhmi." Calhualyana chuckled one last time before walking out of the cell.
As the door clanged shut with the echo of a coffin lid, Yauhmi laid back slowly on the bed. She had believed that somehow she would emerge triumphant from this, as she had every other challenge in her life. She had to admit, now, that the chances were quite against her.
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