08-21-2020, 09:33 PM
Alvarez’s Office
20th August 2020 – morning
“I’ve changed my mind.”
The Prime Minister looked up from her desk at Lidia, expecting some kind of response to her statement from the younger woman.
“Changed your mind about what, ma’am?” Lidia sighed, putting down her pen and turning to face her boss.
“Xiomera. Call off the drug squad, let the WOE members go,” Alvarez stood up and walked over to her office mini fridge, pulling out a cold bottle of water and gulping it down. The heat was not relenting, and the air conditioning in government buildings was rather aging.
“And what is behind this change of heart, may I ask?”
“I realised something after that last broadcast of Xochiuhue’s. He does not respect Lauchenoiria as a nation. Yauhmi attacked us, but at least she felt the need to warn us off and threaten us. She might have treated our nation like an enemy, but he treats us like an insect not worth his time. And insects get swatted more than enemies get invaded. Yauhmi is a slight threat to Lauchenoiria. Xochiuhue is a much greater one.”
The conviction in Alvarez’s voice caused a shiver to run down Lidia’s spine. She had already seen people speculating about possible imperial ambitions should Xochiuhue win the war, but she’d trusted Alvarez’s analysis of the unlikelihood of any invasions. To hear the Prime Minister change her mind on this worried Lidia.
“So… uh… what do we do?” she asked, slightly concerned.
“We cannot involve ourselves in this conflict in any official manner. It’s too close to our own civil war, and it would spell trouble. We also don’t have the resources, and I don’t want us to get tangled up in foreign wars while we’re still rebuilding. But, unofficially… let WOE do as they wish.”
“We’ve had reports they plan to ship weapons to Manauia Island out of Lauchenoirian Resistance stockpiles that haven’t been turned over to the government. Should we allow that as well?”
“What we don’t know can’t hurt us. Lauchenoiria isn’t exactly known for our stringent checks at the border. I think we should redirect some of our forces to other tasks, such as hunting down the rest of Gabriel Fleming’s little traitors.”
“As you wish, Prime Minister,” Lidia nodded, turning to leave. In truth, she was relieved that Alvarez was going down this route. As not-legal and dodgy as it was, it would be less harmful politically in Lauchenoiria than a crackdown on environmental activists, and there was always that plausible deniability if the Xiomerans got their knickers in a twist. Still, Lidia couldn’t shake the fear that this war would have a nasty end.
*
Council Chamber, Kerlile
Simultaneous
“I agree,” nodded Nirmala Patel. “This time, the democracies would be on the same side as us, a welcome change, and far less likely to lead to repercussions against us. At this stage, who would fault us for this decision?”
“My wife,” muttered Councillor Hale under her breath, only half joking. The rest of the Council responded with a mixture of awkward silence and awkward chuckles.
“It seems we are close to reaching a consensus. And I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Jennifer,” Councillor Chiu added, “that pretender insulted her nation just as much as ours, and from what you tell me, she won’t take such things lying down.”
“Are we fully prepared for the consequences if this goes wrong?” Rosemary interjected, sounding much more nervous than the older Councillors.
“If it goes wrong, then Eiria, Milintica, Laeral and Legionas are all better targets for retaliation, geographically speaking,” said Pierre, looking both more subdued and angrier than usual. It had been like that since her daughter went missing. “If Empress Yauhmi loses this war, we will be in trouble regardless of our level of participation beforehand.”
“That’s true,” nodded Carmen Robinson, looking slightly alarmed to be agreeing with a Pierre. “We don’t really have much to lose. I can’t see any real objections to this plan. Are there any?”
The Councillors all looked at each other over the table. Rosemary shook her head, and Hale tapped her fingers, considering, before copying Rosemary.
“Then, is it decided?” Chiu asked, suddenly rather quiet. After a hesitation, Councillor Hart nodded, followed by Pierre, followed by several others, until everyone around the table had made a physical acknowledgement of agreement.
“Very well,” said President Arnott, who was sitting on a chair at the edge of the room, listening to the meeting proceedings. “I shall call Texōccoatl as soon as possible. Thank you, all. I know this is a difficult decision, and rather frightening. But I promise you, I will not let our country be destroyed. We have come too far to give up fighting now. Long live the Matriarchy.”
“Long live the Matriarchy,” chorused the Councillors in response as the President walked to the door and left the room. A silence descended over the room, the silence of a group who were uncertain if they’d just made the right decision.
20th August 2020 – morning
“I’ve changed my mind.”
The Prime Minister looked up from her desk at Lidia, expecting some kind of response to her statement from the younger woman.
“Changed your mind about what, ma’am?” Lidia sighed, putting down her pen and turning to face her boss.
“Xiomera. Call off the drug squad, let the WOE members go,” Alvarez stood up and walked over to her office mini fridge, pulling out a cold bottle of water and gulping it down. The heat was not relenting, and the air conditioning in government buildings was rather aging.
“And what is behind this change of heart, may I ask?”
“I realised something after that last broadcast of Xochiuhue’s. He does not respect Lauchenoiria as a nation. Yauhmi attacked us, but at least she felt the need to warn us off and threaten us. She might have treated our nation like an enemy, but he treats us like an insect not worth his time. And insects get swatted more than enemies get invaded. Yauhmi is a slight threat to Lauchenoiria. Xochiuhue is a much greater one.”
The conviction in Alvarez’s voice caused a shiver to run down Lidia’s spine. She had already seen people speculating about possible imperial ambitions should Xochiuhue win the war, but she’d trusted Alvarez’s analysis of the unlikelihood of any invasions. To hear the Prime Minister change her mind on this worried Lidia.
“So… uh… what do we do?” she asked, slightly concerned.
“We cannot involve ourselves in this conflict in any official manner. It’s too close to our own civil war, and it would spell trouble. We also don’t have the resources, and I don’t want us to get tangled up in foreign wars while we’re still rebuilding. But, unofficially… let WOE do as they wish.”
“We’ve had reports they plan to ship weapons to Manauia Island out of Lauchenoirian Resistance stockpiles that haven’t been turned over to the government. Should we allow that as well?”
“What we don’t know can’t hurt us. Lauchenoiria isn’t exactly known for our stringent checks at the border. I think we should redirect some of our forces to other tasks, such as hunting down the rest of Gabriel Fleming’s little traitors.”
“As you wish, Prime Minister,” Lidia nodded, turning to leave. In truth, she was relieved that Alvarez was going down this route. As not-legal and dodgy as it was, it would be less harmful politically in Lauchenoiria than a crackdown on environmental activists, and there was always that plausible deniability if the Xiomerans got their knickers in a twist. Still, Lidia couldn’t shake the fear that this war would have a nasty end.
*
Council Chamber, Kerlile
Simultaneous
“I agree,” nodded Nirmala Patel. “This time, the democracies would be on the same side as us, a welcome change, and far less likely to lead to repercussions against us. At this stage, who would fault us for this decision?”
“My wife,” muttered Councillor Hale under her breath, only half joking. The rest of the Council responded with a mixture of awkward silence and awkward chuckles.
“It seems we are close to reaching a consensus. And I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Jennifer,” Councillor Chiu added, “that pretender insulted her nation just as much as ours, and from what you tell me, she won’t take such things lying down.”
“Are we fully prepared for the consequences if this goes wrong?” Rosemary interjected, sounding much more nervous than the older Councillors.
“If it goes wrong, then Eiria, Milintica, Laeral and Legionas are all better targets for retaliation, geographically speaking,” said Pierre, looking both more subdued and angrier than usual. It had been like that since her daughter went missing. “If Empress Yauhmi loses this war, we will be in trouble regardless of our level of participation beforehand.”
“That’s true,” nodded Carmen Robinson, looking slightly alarmed to be agreeing with a Pierre. “We don’t really have much to lose. I can’t see any real objections to this plan. Are there any?”
The Councillors all looked at each other over the table. Rosemary shook her head, and Hale tapped her fingers, considering, before copying Rosemary.
“Then, is it decided?” Chiu asked, suddenly rather quiet. After a hesitation, Councillor Hart nodded, followed by Pierre, followed by several others, until everyone around the table had made a physical acknowledgement of agreement.
“Very well,” said President Arnott, who was sitting on a chair at the edge of the room, listening to the meeting proceedings. “I shall call Texōccoatl as soon as possible. Thank you, all. I know this is a difficult decision, and rather frightening. But I promise you, I will not let our country be destroyed. We have come too far to give up fighting now. Long live the Matriarchy.”
“Long live the Matriarchy,” chorused the Councillors in response as the President walked to the door and left the room. A silence descended over the room, the silence of a group who were uncertain if they’d just made the right decision.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax