07-14-2020, 08:39 AM
July 14th
Château de Clamur, Neidong, Laeral
Midnight, local time
"We're beginning to hear promising results from the propaganda campaign. The Security Secretariat and ISTC, according to our latest reports, are being run ragged trying to keep the media lockdown in place. Our message is increasingly getting through to the people in Xiomera. It's much too early to say what effect it will have, or when. But we do know that among many people, even those nominally loyal to the junta, the pro-Xochiuhue propaganda and rhetoric is sounding an increasingly hollow tone." Secretary Nōlinyauh handed Texōccoatl and Emily Rouchard reports. "In addition, we're receiving reports of an increasing number of protests around the country. The junta has been trying to place 'instigators' in camps to isolate them from the population, but even when they do, new protest leaders are arising. These are all hopeful signs that we're getting to a critical mass inside the country."
The Crown Prince and the Eirian envoy nodded, going over the reports with Nōlinyauh. Outside the Crown Prince's office, the château was still and quiet. A slight rain was falling, to the irritation of the guards. Security at the château was being maintained by a mix of Jaguar and Eagle Warriors and Shuellian mercenaries with Advent. The two groups had begun to get along after some initial friction between the professional Xiomeran soldiers and the mercenaries, who considered themselves professionals as well despite the lack of a pretty little flag on their shoulders. They were even making decent inroads at learning each others' languages, all the better to grumble about the weather.
As midnight struck, the rain began to pick up in intensity. It would prove to be a good bit of cover for some unscheduled visitors.
Along the south wall of the château, a team of black-clad operatives silently approached the gate. A pair of Laeralite police were standing guard at the entrance. One of them turned just in time to see the men in black approaching. Before he could raise an alarm, a swift punch to the face knocked him out. The second policeman was quickly surrounded and knocked out as well. They were dragged into the bushes. The team's instructions were clear: don't kill any foreigners unless absolutely necessary.
No such mercies, however, were required for the occupants of the château.
The gate was quietly forced open, and the team quickly ran inside, splitting into two groups. One group was to cause a deliberately noisy distraction, to pull any security forces away from the château itself. The other team, moving into the shadows cast by the grand old building, was to make their way into the building to complete their real mission.
The first group waited until the second was in position, then charged into the courtyard, firing at mercenaries and Xiomerans alike. As the gunfire started, the mercenaries and the Jaguar and Eagle Warriors dove for cover, returning fire.
Inside the château, Texōccoatl and Nōlinyauh jumped up from their seats. "We apparently have company," the Crown Prince said, reaching into his desk and retrieving his old Army-issue sidearm and dagger. "I don't suppose you're armed at all?" he asked Rouchard. Nōlinyauh sighed. "I'm certainly not armed. I'm a diplomat, and a bit old to be a combatant." Texōccoatl nodded in agreement. "Stay behind me," the Crown Prince told Nōlinyauh.
In a different part of the château, Brigadier General Tlanexchel leapt out of bed at the sound of gunfire. He threw on a set of fatigues in haste, and buckled on the belt that held his sidearm and dagger. Grabbing his rifle and his command headset, he ran from his quarters, shouting commands into the headset. A sudden movement made him stop in his tracks: a flash of black from the corner of his eye. Throwing himself to the ground, he avoided the dagger that had been thrown at him by inches. Rolling behind a large wooden display cabinet, he began firing at the black-clad men running towards him.
In other parts of the main château building, Jaguar and Eagle Warriors were moving to protect the occupants of the château: the members of the government in exile. Three Jaguar Warriors were running down the corridor towards the Crown Prince's office, only to be met by five more of the black-clad men. The two groups met in a whirl of hand-to-hand combat, with fists, feet and blades.
The door to the Crown Prince's office slammed open. Three of the black-clad men ran inside. At the sight of Texōccoatl, they entered a fighting stance. Each of them had a pistol in one hand, and a darkly gleaming dagger in the other.
Château de Clamur, Neidong, Laeral
Midnight, local time
"We're beginning to hear promising results from the propaganda campaign. The Security Secretariat and ISTC, according to our latest reports, are being run ragged trying to keep the media lockdown in place. Our message is increasingly getting through to the people in Xiomera. It's much too early to say what effect it will have, or when. But we do know that among many people, even those nominally loyal to the junta, the pro-Xochiuhue propaganda and rhetoric is sounding an increasingly hollow tone." Secretary Nōlinyauh handed Texōccoatl and Emily Rouchard reports. "In addition, we're receiving reports of an increasing number of protests around the country. The junta has been trying to place 'instigators' in camps to isolate them from the population, but even when they do, new protest leaders are arising. These are all hopeful signs that we're getting to a critical mass inside the country."
The Crown Prince and the Eirian envoy nodded, going over the reports with Nōlinyauh. Outside the Crown Prince's office, the château was still and quiet. A slight rain was falling, to the irritation of the guards. Security at the château was being maintained by a mix of Jaguar and Eagle Warriors and Shuellian mercenaries with Advent. The two groups had begun to get along after some initial friction between the professional Xiomeran soldiers and the mercenaries, who considered themselves professionals as well despite the lack of a pretty little flag on their shoulders. They were even making decent inroads at learning each others' languages, all the better to grumble about the weather.
As midnight struck, the rain began to pick up in intensity. It would prove to be a good bit of cover for some unscheduled visitors.
Along the south wall of the château, a team of black-clad operatives silently approached the gate. A pair of Laeralite police were standing guard at the entrance. One of them turned just in time to see the men in black approaching. Before he could raise an alarm, a swift punch to the face knocked him out. The second policeman was quickly surrounded and knocked out as well. They were dragged into the bushes. The team's instructions were clear: don't kill any foreigners unless absolutely necessary.
No such mercies, however, were required for the occupants of the château.
The gate was quietly forced open, and the team quickly ran inside, splitting into two groups. One group was to cause a deliberately noisy distraction, to pull any security forces away from the château itself. The other team, moving into the shadows cast by the grand old building, was to make their way into the building to complete their real mission.
The first group waited until the second was in position, then charged into the courtyard, firing at mercenaries and Xiomerans alike. As the gunfire started, the mercenaries and the Jaguar and Eagle Warriors dove for cover, returning fire.
Inside the château, Texōccoatl and Nōlinyauh jumped up from their seats. "We apparently have company," the Crown Prince said, reaching into his desk and retrieving his old Army-issue sidearm and dagger. "I don't suppose you're armed at all?" he asked Rouchard. Nōlinyauh sighed. "I'm certainly not armed. I'm a diplomat, and a bit old to be a combatant." Texōccoatl nodded in agreement. "Stay behind me," the Crown Prince told Nōlinyauh.
In a different part of the château, Brigadier General Tlanexchel leapt out of bed at the sound of gunfire. He threw on a set of fatigues in haste, and buckled on the belt that held his sidearm and dagger. Grabbing his rifle and his command headset, he ran from his quarters, shouting commands into the headset. A sudden movement made him stop in his tracks: a flash of black from the corner of his eye. Throwing himself to the ground, he avoided the dagger that had been thrown at him by inches. Rolling behind a large wooden display cabinet, he began firing at the black-clad men running towards him.
In other parts of the main château building, Jaguar and Eagle Warriors were moving to protect the occupants of the château: the members of the government in exile. Three Jaguar Warriors were running down the corridor towards the Crown Prince's office, only to be met by five more of the black-clad men. The two groups met in a whirl of hand-to-hand combat, with fists, feet and blades.
The door to the Crown Prince's office slammed open. Three of the black-clad men ran inside. At the sight of Texōccoatl, they entered a fighting stance. Each of them had a pistol in one hand, and a darkly gleaming dagger in the other.
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