[Democratic Republic Of Eiria]

(Joint Post with [nation]Xiomera[/nation])

Chancellor's Study, Geminus

Chancellor Lancaster sat behind his desk, laptop screen showing his slightly angered twin sister looking back at him. "How's Lauchenoira?". He asked, noting her expression. The glare he got was all the answer he needed. "That bad?".

"I hate having to sit across from those Xiomeran imperialist bastards while Adrian is sitting back at home! I hate not being there for him, to protect him." She let out a couple of Eirian curses and insults, causing Will to wince. "Calm down. I admit, they deserve it, but no good will come of it by attacking and insulting them directly. We must provoke them. And on a lighter note, the reason I added you to this call was that I was hoping to get in touch with the more rational Xiomeran royal via video call, and I could use your expertise."

She sighed, and shrugged. "Fine."

Will dialed a particularly exclusive number on his work phone and waited as the dial tone rang.

Texōccoatl was conferring with Brigadier General Tlanexchel and Aperira Raharuhi, the Milintican defense secretary, about the rapidly unfolding situation in Xiomera when the phone rang. He nodded to Chuaru to put the call through. "Chancellor Lancaster, and Minister Lancaster, thank you for calling. Your timing is most fortuitous. I have our own Defense Secretary on the line, along with Secretary Raharuhi from Milintica via video. It might be a good idea for us to coordinate our discussions, although if you prefer to talk privately I can also arrange that," Texōccoatl said as his face appeared on screen.

"Actually, that works well. I have my sister on video right here, so a merged video call would likely be beneficial. I'll set it up, it'll only take a moment." He typed for a moment, opening the Conference room to allow them access. "There. Online Video room 0898, passcode 2739. It's my personal room I keep on reserve. Advanced Security, EICA programmed. Should be safe."

"Excellent," Texōccoatl replied, adding the rest of them to the call. In the Crown Prince's office, Texōccoatl was seated next to Tlanexchel at a conference table. In Huānoch, meanwhile, Raharuhi was seated at her desk in the small office alloted to her at Fort Amacatl. "Good morning," Raharuhi said politely, counting her lucky stars that General Tlehuaque wasn't the one making the call. His rather blunt opinion of the Xiomerans probably wouldn't have been helpful to the conversation.

"Secretary Raharuhi, It's a pleasure to meet you. My sister is calling in from the Lauchenoiran Climate Conference, so the connection may be a bit spotty." Both of the Lancaster twins had donned their diplomat masks, their expressions the same shade of respectful and cordial. "Anyway, the purpose of this call is simple: What is the future of this coalition? I spoke with our emissary, Emily Rouchard, and she said that you had a plan for allied forced to make a beach landing, Your Majesty?". Will tried to sound as respectful as he could to avoid coming across as blunt.

Texōccoatl nodded. "Our current plans are to force a landing at Zapotlán, the city that sits at the center of the thin strip of land known as Quechtli. Our plan is to distract Xochiuhue's forces with troop movements in east Caxcana that make it appear as if a land operation is imminent against Xochiuhue's forces in western Huenya. That misdirection will ideally make him reroute forces from the rest of Xiomera, including at Zapotlán and at Chuaztlapoc. If we can seize and hold Zapotlán, we can sever western Huenya from the rest of the Empire. We believe western Huenya will prove to be a very strong base from which to work for Xochiuhue's eventual defeat."

"A well conceived strategy, however there are a number of risks. What if he doesn't reroute troops from the forces attacking Chuaztlapoc?" He asked, doing the best to pronounce the Xiomeran city name. "The defenders there are not big in numbers, from what I've heard. It's also a historical treasure, and is sheltering your mother. I'm not saying the plan is bad, just trying to inquire the risks."

"And I'll have to add on to that." Alice spoke up and cleared his throat. "What happens if forces are left in East Huenya? Zapotlán would be trapped from both sides."

"I will be the first to admit the plan is not perfect, and it does contain considerable risks. We have been planning this operation for some weeks now, however, so we are as ready as we are likely to be. As for Chuaztlapoc....we can't get straight there to save them, so this is the best plan we have," Texōccoatl said. "We've been talking with Prime Minister Moretti of Legionas, and the Legionites plan to deploy a very large force on the border with Xiomera. I am almost certain that given the size of the Legionite force being positioned there - 56,000 troops to be exact, with another 250,000 in reserve - that Xochiuhue will take the bait and redeploy some of his forces that way. We also have a bit of a diversion planned for the border islands as well. We have a force of volunteers that plans to link up with the islanders and stage a revolt there against the Imperial garrison. All of that should get Xochiuhue's attention, and get him to shift his plans enough to give us the opening we need."

Raharuhi coughed slightly to get everyone's attention. "The volunteers have been training in Milintica and are ready to go. They should arrive at the border islands just before the Zapotlán operation begins and give Xochiuhue the needed nudge."

Brigadier General Tlanexchel nodded, looking at the Lancasters on the video screen. "We are concerned about the forces in eastern Huenya, I won't lie. But if we can get the forces in western Huenya to switch sides, we'll have all the men we need to secure the bridgehead and force the junta onto the defensive. We believe that if we can give the junta two big defeats at Zapotlán and Chuaztlapoc, coupled with the already low morale of junta forces, we can pull it off. Our intelligence indicates that many Xiomeran soldiers, especially in the west, are doubting their orders and their leaders. Having the Empress alive, and seeing us break through, may be enough to cause major defections in their ranks."

Texōccoatl took on his famous mischievous grin at that point. "Now, if Eiria joined Legionas in mobilizing some ground and air forces and moving them as if they were getting ready to attack - adding to the bluff, as it were - that couldn't hurt our chances." The Crown Prince paused. "I will also say that it is fortunate that General Xōchhuitl is dead. He was a tactical genius. His replacement, Zinahue, is....not. Zinahue is exceptionally loyal to whoever is in charge, but he is not very bright. He's a bit of a lapdog in that sense, and he will likely give Xochiuhue very bad advice."

Both Eirians nodded, satisfied with the answer provided. "Ah, Blind loyalty. Encouraged in many armies, yet destroying said armies a decent portion of a time. It's a good thing Zinahue subscribes to such a manner of thinking."
Alice quipped. Her brother started talking after she finished, both siblings working in tandem. "Eiria will of course help with Air and Naval forces, at least. I'll have to request actual ground forces, but the Senate won't grumble too much about that. I'm glad we have great strategists from all nations on this coalition." He paused. "And you want to recruit portions of your army to defect, correct? Well, given Eiria's recent history, we have people experienced in militia recruiting we could send in to help. Along with keeping propoganda pouring into the Xiomeran media."

"That would be a huge help," Tlanexchel said. "We do want to get as many of our soldiers as possible to switch sides before this war is over. The last thing we want to have to do once this is all over is bring up half of our military on treason charges," he said with a shake of his head.

Texōccoatl nodded grimly at that as well. "We do plan to have a Truth and Reconciliation Commission look at everything that happened during the junta and Xochiuhue's rule, assuming we win of course. Any soldiers who committed war crimes will face charges. But if we can get the majority of our soldiers to come back to the right side before the war is over, that will make things much easier to win the fight now - and in the aftermath."

Alice tipped her head. "A Truth and Reconciliation commission? If you don't mind me asking, how do you intend to do that? Now, I'm not a lawyer, and my limited legal experience deals in International law, not specific national law. However, the war crime commission after our own civil war was..... Flawed, to say the least. How would your government handle it?"

"We plan to seat a commission of judges versed in Xiomeran and international law to hear the cases, and for investigators independent of the Imperial Police to investigate potential abuses. The Imperial Police will probably be disbanded altogether after this is all over, but that's another matter. We're also considering the possibility of letting international investigators assist us in investigating potential war crimes, although any prosecutions and decisions will be rendered solely by Xiomerans," Texōccoatl said.

"Okay, that makes since. This is a civil war, after all. We're just here to assist you. In the name of Democracy." Alice said, biting her lip. And Self-preservation.

Texōccoatl nodded. "We do plan to give those countries who helped us, such as yourselves, a chance to advise and discuss cases with us that come before the TRC. We know this whole mess is....unsettling to our neighbors and to the IDU as a whole."

The Chancellor knit his hands together, praying that his sister kept her mouth shut. "It has been a bit concerning to a lot of Eirian politicians, and I'd be a liar if I said that group didn't include myself. I trust you and your mother will work to reduce this neighborhood tension." He spoke quickly, trying to calm Alice down before she rants about Xochiuhue and his gutless pawns.

"Of course. We're sorry that it came to this, but once the rightful government is restored to power, I am sure that my mother will be eager to restore ties with our neighbors. And to reassure any fears anyone may have in the future," Texōccoatl added.

"We would love to cooperate with the restoration of formal ties between our nations, once your mother is put back on the Obsidian Throne." Alice had reapplied her court mask, making sure her composure does not slip again. "We would also like to develop further relations with Milintica, if that would be alright. East Caxcana is desperately in need of a new network of Diplomacy, and you can never have too many friends, at least when it comes to national relations."

Raharuhi nodded, smiling warmly. “We would be eager to establish closer relations with Eiria, and with a restored Xiomeran government as well, should it meet certain expectations for democracy and rights.”

At Raharuhi’s words, Texōccoatl kept the polite smile on his face. Inwardly, however, he was cringing. Here come the demands, he thought.

The Chancellor's smile widened a little. "I couldn't agree more." It's nice we have some others who are able to hold Xiomera to their Reformist promises. "A democratic Xiomera would certainly help to ensure peace in the region, as well as balancing the power in Caxcana. It will be nice to view Xiomera as a friend, and not an acquaintance with a loaded gun."

Texōccoatl continued to smile, nodding in agreement. The Crown Prince was trying to think of an appropriately noncommittal but polite response to the veiled assertion that Xiomera was essentially a regional gangster in Caxcana that needed sweeping political change. General Tlanexchel, sensing this, intervened. “The future status of Xiomera is certainly something worth considering once this war is over. For our deliberations on that future to mean anything, however, we have to win first,” the Jaguar Warrior said in a highly practical tone of voice.

Will noted the reaction and nodded. "True. Speaking of which, if the Milita recruiters I mentioned earlier manage to recruit some Xiomerans to defect, where would you want them sent? Chuaztlapoc or Zapotlán? Which one takes precedence in that case?"

Texōccoatl paused for a moment. “Chuaztlapoc, in that case. We have enough support for the assault on Zapotlán, I think. Chuaztlapoc definitely needs all the help it can get.” Texōccoatl thought a silent prayer that he wasn’t condemning his mother to death with his main focus on Zapotlán.

Both Lancasters looked at the Crown Prince with pity. "I must express my admiration for the way you've led your people in such a hectic time, Your Majesty. It's a hard thing, watching your country be taken over by someone who uses it solely for their own gain." Alice adopted a more sincere tone, trying to comfort the Crown Prince.

Texōccoatl nodded in appreciation. “It has not been easy. But I am hopeful that we are beginning to turn the tide on this situation, and that the future will be better. We just have to get through these difficult times now and in the months ahead. The support that all of you have shown has helped greatly.” Texōccoatl turned to look at Tlanexchel. “Brigadier General Tlanexchel will be the point of contact during any military operations, but I am always available as well.”

"Sounds good. Thank you, Your Majesty, General Tlanexchel, Secretary Raharuhi. Is there anything else you need of Eiria?"

"Not at this time, but thank you for the call and for your support as always. General Tlanexchel will contact Admirals Circè and Techilō soon to ensure the landing at Zapotlán goes smoothly," Texōccoatl said. "And if you need anything else, please feel free to contact either the General or myself."

Both the Chancellor and the Minister gave a short bow over the video chat. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll let you get back to your meeting." He typed a command, and the Video chat split into two separate channels, leaving him and his sister alone.

"I think that went well." He said, sitting back in his chair. "Maybe that will ease your hostility against the Xiomerans. Not all of them are like Xochiuhue and his disciples." He chuckled at the eye roll he got in reply.