07-06-2020, 10:54 AM
Palace of Flowers - Chamber of Whispers
July 2nd - after the conversation with Chancellor Lancaster
"The Eirians are becoming a problem," Emperor Xochiuhue said.
General Xōchhuitl and Secretary Calhualyana, seated around the table surrounding the Emperor's chair, nodded grimly. Admiral Tlālpantlizal and General Huelixiuh, the commanders of the Imperial Navy and Air Force, also looked grim. General Cuauh'ez, the commander of the Xiomeran Special Forces, looked even grimmer than everyone else, if that was possible.
"First, they go and stick a fleet off our shores, protecting that bitch Admiral Techilō and her traitorous sailors." Xochiuhue glared briefly at Admiral Tlālpantlizal after saying that, and the Admiral glanced down nervously at the table. "Then, they seize our assets. Then they insult us while openly backing that dungheap Texōccoatl. And then Lancaster has the nerve to call me and beg for trade while insulting me further. The Eirians need to be put in their place."
"Your Majesty, if I may make a suggestion?" Calhualyana looked at Xochiuhue, who had turned from his pacing to glare at her. "Speak," he commanded.
"You said that Lancaster knows that Midgard is hiding here in Xiomera. While we should endeavor to do everything we can to ensure Odin survives the attack on him, the way I see it, you now have the right to order whoever is in charge of Midgard at this point to do work on our behalf. We're going to treat Odin, we're giving them sanctuary....nothing in Xiomera is free, after all." Calhualyana grinned. "Surely Midgard, if they're as dangerous as they claim, can cause our Eirian annoyances as much difficulty as they are causing us. A few domestic disruptions in Eiria here and there, maybe a few Eirian leaders suffer some unfortunate accidents....Midgard wants to bring about the return of the old Eirian regime, don't they? Well, they should get to work on that already. If nothing else, their mission can serve our needs."
Xochiuhue smiled. "Indeed. From what I was told, their new leader is codenamed Steel. Summon him to the Throne Room. It's time we had a conversation about what Midgard is going to do for Xiomera in return for their sanctuary here."
"There is another issue we should address. We can end this annoyance known as the government in exile by a single step. Texōccoatl needs to be eliminated." Calhualyana was about to continue, but General Cuauh'ez stopped her. "There are Jaguar and Eagle Warriors guarding Texōccoatl. Are you saying we should risk harming them?"
"General....those Jaguar and Eagle Warriors are no longer obeying your orders. Are you proposing that we should worry about the lives of traitors?" Calhualyana replied with a raised eyebrow. As Xochiuhue looked at him expectantly, General Cuauh'ez finally sighed. "No, of course not. Continue," he replied, avoiding Xochiuhue's gaze.
"We have received intelligence that Texōccoatl and his 'government' are being housed in a villa near Laeralsford. We can insert a team of assassins from ASI into Laeral, get them to the villa, eliminate Texōccoatl and any other figures from the government in exile we can, and get the team out. We won't stamp out this tiresome rebellion until we decapitate its figureheads. We should have, frankly, gotten rid of Texōccoatl ages ago. Once both Yauhmi and Texōccoatl are out of the picture, there is no opposition government. Yauhmi is already on her way out the door, at least from the reports ASI has sent me. Texōccoatl is the last threat remaining to us."
General Xōchhuitl coughed. "And what if they fail to eliminate Texōccoatl? Or worse, what if they are caught?"
Calhualyana's expression took on a tougher look. "If they fail, they get out. If they're going to be caught, they commit suicide. My ASI special teams don't get caught - at least not in a way that would be useful to any potential enemies. They will not have anything on them identifying them as Xiomeran agents, and will be using foreign equipment."
General Xōchhuitl shook his head. "What does any of that matter if they're Xiomeran? We don't look like Laeralites, or just about anyone else in the IDU, for that matter. That's kind of a big giveaway, Calhualyana."
Calhualyana laughed in response. "I'm not an idiot, Xōchhuitl. I have special agents who are the descendants of people who immigrated to Xiomera. I can give you people who resemble Laeralites, Lauchenoirians, Eirians, Legionites, anyone you want. That will be who I send to end this farce of Texōccoatl's once and for all - if I have your permission, your Majesty," she added.
"Do it," Xochiuhue said readily. "This farce has indeed gone on long enough. Once Yauhmi and Texōccoatl are gone, all of this will be over." The Emperor stood up in front of his chair. "Even if the Eirians and the Laeralites find out what we are going to do, I don't care. The time for Xiomera to bow to others is over. We will eliminate Yauhmi and Texōccoatl. We will restore order over this country. And then, we will do whatever it takes to fulfill the destiny that is mine, and Xiomera's. Quiauhticue built this Empire - I am the inheritor of his destiny, and will build it to a level of greatness he could never have imagined. The gods have chosen this moment for Xiomera to ascend and take its place as a great power. I will not let anyone thwart that destiny - no one. Like Huītzilōpōchtli, the time has come for the Xiomeran Empire to rise as the sun over Catica."
The people seated around the table stood up, saluting the Emperor, as the Xiomeran flag hung in blood-red folds behind him.
---
South Xiomeran Sea
Tlumeste Strait - between Manauia Island and Cenotillo Island
"Keep quiet. No noise, no light, no movement, nothing," Ollque hissed.
The Teyatia guide gestured to the mixed group of Milinticans, Teyatia and Lauchenoirians crouched at the bottom of the ship to remain hidden under the tarps covering the open cargo area. The ship had traveled a circuitous route from Milintica, south of Eiria and then approaching Manauia Island at an angle, to avoid the increasingly heavy shore patrols of the Imperial Navy, Coast Guard and the Manauia Island garrison of the Imperial Police.
It helped in that task to have Ollque guiding them. A seasoned Teyatia guide, she had helped smuggle both people and items both into, and out of, Manauia Island since she was a child and her parents had taught her the art. Anyone other than a Teyatia local experienced in the ways of avoiding Imperial patrols would have certainly gotten caught.
The ship finally pulled into a small cove on the shore, running roughly into the beach. As the ancient ship ground to a halt, dropping its front hatch, Ollque hastily walked to the front of the ship. "Move, quickly now. Move! There are as many patrols along the beach as there are out there," she snapped. Other Teyatia and Xiomerans began briskly unloading the ship of its cargo with the skill of experienced smugglers used to operating under the gun.
As the group of would-be revolutionaries made it onshore, another Teyatia was there to greet them. A wiry man with a youthful face and much older eyes, he walked up to the group with a precise grace. "Welcome to Manauia Island. I am Tanqui, the leader of my people. I am grateful that all of you have come here to help us. Let us move quickly....the fight to save this island has already begun. And we do not have much time."
---
Throughout western Xiomera
As part of his already infamous Decree No. 31, Xochiuhue had disbanded the Xiomeran Civil Guard throughout the western half of the Empire, as well as on Manauia Island and Cenotillo Island. The volunteer civilian militia, after several incidents where they sided with locals instead of with the new government, had been deemed to be unreliable and untrustworthy.
In accordance with Decree No. 31, units of the Imperial Army were being dispatched to the Civil Guard garrisons throughout western Xiomera to reclaim control over the weapons held by those garrisons, formally disband the units and rebrand the garrisons as Imperial Police stations. The government had tried to time the move to correspond with the issuance of the Decree to ensure this would be successful and catch the Civil Guard garrisons napping. But as the mission progressed, multiple units were discovering a disturbing trend.
When the Imperial Army arrived, many Civil Guard garrisons were already empty, their vehicles missing and their arsenals cleaned out. Where all that horsepower and firepower, and the former citizen-soldiers that had controlled it, had gone was a mystery.
The Imperial Army general in charge of the operation sent an urgent message to General Xōchhuitl. Being quite distracted by many other pressing issues, the General had ignored it. What harm could a bunch of barely-trained pretend soldiers do, after all?
July 2nd - after the conversation with Chancellor Lancaster
"The Eirians are becoming a problem," Emperor Xochiuhue said.
General Xōchhuitl and Secretary Calhualyana, seated around the table surrounding the Emperor's chair, nodded grimly. Admiral Tlālpantlizal and General Huelixiuh, the commanders of the Imperial Navy and Air Force, also looked grim. General Cuauh'ez, the commander of the Xiomeran Special Forces, looked even grimmer than everyone else, if that was possible.
"First, they go and stick a fleet off our shores, protecting that bitch Admiral Techilō and her traitorous sailors." Xochiuhue glared briefly at Admiral Tlālpantlizal after saying that, and the Admiral glanced down nervously at the table. "Then, they seize our assets. Then they insult us while openly backing that dungheap Texōccoatl. And then Lancaster has the nerve to call me and beg for trade while insulting me further. The Eirians need to be put in their place."
"Your Majesty, if I may make a suggestion?" Calhualyana looked at Xochiuhue, who had turned from his pacing to glare at her. "Speak," he commanded.
"You said that Lancaster knows that Midgard is hiding here in Xiomera. While we should endeavor to do everything we can to ensure Odin survives the attack on him, the way I see it, you now have the right to order whoever is in charge of Midgard at this point to do work on our behalf. We're going to treat Odin, we're giving them sanctuary....nothing in Xiomera is free, after all." Calhualyana grinned. "Surely Midgard, if they're as dangerous as they claim, can cause our Eirian annoyances as much difficulty as they are causing us. A few domestic disruptions in Eiria here and there, maybe a few Eirian leaders suffer some unfortunate accidents....Midgard wants to bring about the return of the old Eirian regime, don't they? Well, they should get to work on that already. If nothing else, their mission can serve our needs."
Xochiuhue smiled. "Indeed. From what I was told, their new leader is codenamed Steel. Summon him to the Throne Room. It's time we had a conversation about what Midgard is going to do for Xiomera in return for their sanctuary here."
"There is another issue we should address. We can end this annoyance known as the government in exile by a single step. Texōccoatl needs to be eliminated." Calhualyana was about to continue, but General Cuauh'ez stopped her. "There are Jaguar and Eagle Warriors guarding Texōccoatl. Are you saying we should risk harming them?"
"General....those Jaguar and Eagle Warriors are no longer obeying your orders. Are you proposing that we should worry about the lives of traitors?" Calhualyana replied with a raised eyebrow. As Xochiuhue looked at him expectantly, General Cuauh'ez finally sighed. "No, of course not. Continue," he replied, avoiding Xochiuhue's gaze.
"We have received intelligence that Texōccoatl and his 'government' are being housed in a villa near Laeralsford. We can insert a team of assassins from ASI into Laeral, get them to the villa, eliminate Texōccoatl and any other figures from the government in exile we can, and get the team out. We won't stamp out this tiresome rebellion until we decapitate its figureheads. We should have, frankly, gotten rid of Texōccoatl ages ago. Once both Yauhmi and Texōccoatl are out of the picture, there is no opposition government. Yauhmi is already on her way out the door, at least from the reports ASI has sent me. Texōccoatl is the last threat remaining to us."
General Xōchhuitl coughed. "And what if they fail to eliminate Texōccoatl? Or worse, what if they are caught?"
Calhualyana's expression took on a tougher look. "If they fail, they get out. If they're going to be caught, they commit suicide. My ASI special teams don't get caught - at least not in a way that would be useful to any potential enemies. They will not have anything on them identifying them as Xiomeran agents, and will be using foreign equipment."
General Xōchhuitl shook his head. "What does any of that matter if they're Xiomeran? We don't look like Laeralites, or just about anyone else in the IDU, for that matter. That's kind of a big giveaway, Calhualyana."
Calhualyana laughed in response. "I'm not an idiot, Xōchhuitl. I have special agents who are the descendants of people who immigrated to Xiomera. I can give you people who resemble Laeralites, Lauchenoirians, Eirians, Legionites, anyone you want. That will be who I send to end this farce of Texōccoatl's once and for all - if I have your permission, your Majesty," she added.
"Do it," Xochiuhue said readily. "This farce has indeed gone on long enough. Once Yauhmi and Texōccoatl are gone, all of this will be over." The Emperor stood up in front of his chair. "Even if the Eirians and the Laeralites find out what we are going to do, I don't care. The time for Xiomera to bow to others is over. We will eliminate Yauhmi and Texōccoatl. We will restore order over this country. And then, we will do whatever it takes to fulfill the destiny that is mine, and Xiomera's. Quiauhticue built this Empire - I am the inheritor of his destiny, and will build it to a level of greatness he could never have imagined. The gods have chosen this moment for Xiomera to ascend and take its place as a great power. I will not let anyone thwart that destiny - no one. Like Huītzilōpōchtli, the time has come for the Xiomeran Empire to rise as the sun over Catica."
The people seated around the table stood up, saluting the Emperor, as the Xiomeran flag hung in blood-red folds behind him.
---
South Xiomeran Sea
Tlumeste Strait - between Manauia Island and Cenotillo Island
"Keep quiet. No noise, no light, no movement, nothing," Ollque hissed.
The Teyatia guide gestured to the mixed group of Milinticans, Teyatia and Lauchenoirians crouched at the bottom of the ship to remain hidden under the tarps covering the open cargo area. The ship had traveled a circuitous route from Milintica, south of Eiria and then approaching Manauia Island at an angle, to avoid the increasingly heavy shore patrols of the Imperial Navy, Coast Guard and the Manauia Island garrison of the Imperial Police.
It helped in that task to have Ollque guiding them. A seasoned Teyatia guide, she had helped smuggle both people and items both into, and out of, Manauia Island since she was a child and her parents had taught her the art. Anyone other than a Teyatia local experienced in the ways of avoiding Imperial patrols would have certainly gotten caught.
The ship finally pulled into a small cove on the shore, running roughly into the beach. As the ancient ship ground to a halt, dropping its front hatch, Ollque hastily walked to the front of the ship. "Move, quickly now. Move! There are as many patrols along the beach as there are out there," she snapped. Other Teyatia and Xiomerans began briskly unloading the ship of its cargo with the skill of experienced smugglers used to operating under the gun.
As the group of would-be revolutionaries made it onshore, another Teyatia was there to greet them. A wiry man with a youthful face and much older eyes, he walked up to the group with a precise grace. "Welcome to Manauia Island. I am Tanqui, the leader of my people. I am grateful that all of you have come here to help us. Let us move quickly....the fight to save this island has already begun. And we do not have much time."
---
Throughout western Xiomera
As part of his already infamous Decree No. 31, Xochiuhue had disbanded the Xiomeran Civil Guard throughout the western half of the Empire, as well as on Manauia Island and Cenotillo Island. The volunteer civilian militia, after several incidents where they sided with locals instead of with the new government, had been deemed to be unreliable and untrustworthy.
In accordance with Decree No. 31, units of the Imperial Army were being dispatched to the Civil Guard garrisons throughout western Xiomera to reclaim control over the weapons held by those garrisons, formally disband the units and rebrand the garrisons as Imperial Police stations. The government had tried to time the move to correspond with the issuance of the Decree to ensure this would be successful and catch the Civil Guard garrisons napping. But as the mission progressed, multiple units were discovering a disturbing trend.
When the Imperial Army arrived, many Civil Guard garrisons were already empty, their vehicles missing and their arsenals cleaned out. Where all that horsepower and firepower, and the former citizen-soldiers that had controlled it, had gone was a mystery.
The Imperial Army general in charge of the operation sent an urgent message to General Xōchhuitl. Being quite distracted by many other pressing issues, the General had ignored it. What harm could a bunch of barely-trained pretend soldiers do, after all?
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