08-03-2021, 02:13 PM
Somewhere Above the Kerlile-Lauchenoiria Border – Day Before the Conference
When the pilot informed the passengers that they’d crossed into Kerlian airspace, Josephine Alvarez’s stomach clenched and she had to grab for the brown paper bag provided for passengers who were experiencing motion sickness. Alvarez had no history of that particular condition. Next to her, one of her security personnel turned to her and asked if she was okay, and if she needed any travel sickness pills.
“It’s not… I mean, the plane… it’s just… Kerlile,” she gasped, struggling to breathe for some reason.
“Ma’am, I think you’re having a panic attack. Shall I call over the first aid people?”
“I’m fine,” Alvarez waved her hand dismissively, forcing herself to take some deep breaths. “Just leave it, okay?”
She turned away, ashamed. It had been her idea, after all, for Lauchenoiria to send a government delegation and for her to attend personally. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, a way to resolve some things that needed resolving while also expanding Lauchenoiria’s pool of countries with decent diplomatic relations. In the interim, since she’d made her announcement, however, Carmen Robinson had been imprisoned, the Kerlian Reformists had lost their majority, Xiomera was probably invading Auria and everything just seemed so much more dangerous.
*
After they landed, each individual including all their security personnel was handed a folder with a bunch of booklets inside by the Kerlian border guards. The Kerlians, while checking passports and visas, recited in a monotone what they clearly told every new arrival: “Please read the emergency information enclosed in the tourist information pack. This includes information on local laws, emergency procedures and the current rationing situation.”
All the Lauchenoirians shared some glances of amused alarm after this speech. In the cars to their hotel, Alvarez flicked through the “current laws” booklet, which had an “updated: July 2021” sticker on the front. Evidently, the situation was rather fluid. She was relieved to note the lack of ‘anti-matriarchal activity’ in the list, and chuckled aloud at “males making unsolicited eye-contact with females is NOT, contrary to popular belief, illegal, and is merely seen as socially unacceptable by many Kerlians.”
“This is ridiculous,” Pavía shook her head at her own booklet. Much to Alvarez’s dismay, Sandra had quickly joined her in the car and was now sitting there frowning at the tourist information pack. “This map contains directions to public bunkers in case of nuclear attack. I’m sorry, but they spent their limited amount of government funds on that? If there’s a nuclear war, I’m sorry but I very much doubt anyone will survive.”
“Ever the optimist, Sandra,” Alvarez replied drily. “Frankly, I’m relieved to see that they’re looking out for the common people and not just abandoning them to the nuclear winter, at least in theory. Most states’ nuclear plans involve the leaders fleeing while the common people are left to die.”
“Ours?” Pavía asked.
“Let’s not discuss that woefully inadequate document while on the territory of a nation we have a history of conflict with.”
“Speaking of conflict, there’s a reason I wanted to speak to you in private,” Pavía said, putting the booklets back in her pack and shifting to a more serious posture and expression. “Auria. Both Calhualyana and Yauhmi will be here, and both of those pose a problem for us right now. Yauhmi because they’re now our allies and you need to resolve that personal dispute you have with her.”
“She attacked-“
“I know. I agreed with your decision to freeze out Huenya because of that, but maybe we need to rethink. She’s not in power there anymore, and despite what the Xiomerans have been saying, clearly they’re a threat to any democracy they view as sufficiently unstable to influence.”
“I’m surprised to hear you of all people calling Xiomera a threat. I fully expected you to oppose the blockade and try to encourage me to make friends with the Empress. You’re well-known as a fan of Xiomera.”
Pavía was surprised to hear Alvarez’s words, which were delivered with a tone of accusation. She frowned, confused. “You thought I’d continue to support them once they’ve shown their ambitions? I took Calhualyana at her word, but she’s now shown that she won’t keep that, so…”
“So, you don’t work for her, then?”
“What!?” sputtered Pavía. “Of course not! Did you truly think that? God, Josephine, how long have we known each other? Empress Calhualyana was one of the strongest anti-communist voices out there, but why do we oppose communism except in pursuit of greater freedom? The Auria affair has proven that her ambition is not ideological but merely territorial and for greater power and influence. I agree wholeheartedly with her position on communism, that doesn’t mean I want her to rule the damned world!”
“I’m so relieved,” Alvarez exhaled, laughing slightly. “I was worried you’d end up being the Chaher to my Moore. But have you considered that Calhualyana might be using you without your knowledge?”
“I…” Pavía was horrified at the accusations placed in front of her. She put her hand on her heart and looked Alvarez in the eye. “I swear I’m not working for Calhualyana or any other foreign power. My loyalty will always be to Lauchenoiria. It wounds me that you’ve spent time thinking that. I promise, I swear, I would never betray Lauchenoiria.”
Alvarez noticed the tears beginning to form in Pavía’s eyes, the way the horror in her expression filled every inch of her face and the way the other woman was shaking, clearly genuinely upset. She felt almost guilty. “Hey… sorry. Look, I didn’t mean… it’s just with the whole Aurora thing, and all these coups… it’s easy to get a bit paranoid.”
“God, did you think I actually supported Xiomera’s system of government? I promise, it was only ever about opposing communism, and our mutual worry that Huenya was dishonest in their intentions given Yauhmi’s history. Look, Auria opened my eyes. You may have been paranoid, but I’ve been naïve and I know now that Xiomera is not, can never be, our friend.”
“I’m glad, truly,” Alvarez exhaled, reaching over and taking one of Pavía’s hands as the car pulled up outside of the hotel. “We need a united front on this coup issue. The communists hurt us, god knows, but they’re not the only form of authoritarian government out there, and we need to oppose all forms. Okay?”
Pavía nodded, as they both got out of the car and checked into the hotel. Once Pavía had gone into her room, Alvarez lay down on her own bed, looking up at the ceiling and biting her lip. Pavía had seemed genuine, but could she really, truly, trust it? She groaned. This was going to be even more difficult than she anticipated.
When the pilot informed the passengers that they’d crossed into Kerlian airspace, Josephine Alvarez’s stomach clenched and she had to grab for the brown paper bag provided for passengers who were experiencing motion sickness. Alvarez had no history of that particular condition. Next to her, one of her security personnel turned to her and asked if she was okay, and if she needed any travel sickness pills.
“It’s not… I mean, the plane… it’s just… Kerlile,” she gasped, struggling to breathe for some reason.
“Ma’am, I think you’re having a panic attack. Shall I call over the first aid people?”
“I’m fine,” Alvarez waved her hand dismissively, forcing herself to take some deep breaths. “Just leave it, okay?”
She turned away, ashamed. It had been her idea, after all, for Lauchenoiria to send a government delegation and for her to attend personally. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, a way to resolve some things that needed resolving while also expanding Lauchenoiria’s pool of countries with decent diplomatic relations. In the interim, since she’d made her announcement, however, Carmen Robinson had been imprisoned, the Kerlian Reformists had lost their majority, Xiomera was probably invading Auria and everything just seemed so much more dangerous.
*
After they landed, each individual including all their security personnel was handed a folder with a bunch of booklets inside by the Kerlian border guards. The Kerlians, while checking passports and visas, recited in a monotone what they clearly told every new arrival: “Please read the emergency information enclosed in the tourist information pack. This includes information on local laws, emergency procedures and the current rationing situation.”
All the Lauchenoirians shared some glances of amused alarm after this speech. In the cars to their hotel, Alvarez flicked through the “current laws” booklet, which had an “updated: July 2021” sticker on the front. Evidently, the situation was rather fluid. She was relieved to note the lack of ‘anti-matriarchal activity’ in the list, and chuckled aloud at “males making unsolicited eye-contact with females is NOT, contrary to popular belief, illegal, and is merely seen as socially unacceptable by many Kerlians.”
“This is ridiculous,” Pavía shook her head at her own booklet. Much to Alvarez’s dismay, Sandra had quickly joined her in the car and was now sitting there frowning at the tourist information pack. “This map contains directions to public bunkers in case of nuclear attack. I’m sorry, but they spent their limited amount of government funds on that? If there’s a nuclear war, I’m sorry but I very much doubt anyone will survive.”
“Ever the optimist, Sandra,” Alvarez replied drily. “Frankly, I’m relieved to see that they’re looking out for the common people and not just abandoning them to the nuclear winter, at least in theory. Most states’ nuclear plans involve the leaders fleeing while the common people are left to die.”
“Ours?” Pavía asked.
“Let’s not discuss that woefully inadequate document while on the territory of a nation we have a history of conflict with.”
“Speaking of conflict, there’s a reason I wanted to speak to you in private,” Pavía said, putting the booklets back in her pack and shifting to a more serious posture and expression. “Auria. Both Calhualyana and Yauhmi will be here, and both of those pose a problem for us right now. Yauhmi because they’re now our allies and you need to resolve that personal dispute you have with her.”
“She attacked-“
“I know. I agreed with your decision to freeze out Huenya because of that, but maybe we need to rethink. She’s not in power there anymore, and despite what the Xiomerans have been saying, clearly they’re a threat to any democracy they view as sufficiently unstable to influence.”
“I’m surprised to hear you of all people calling Xiomera a threat. I fully expected you to oppose the blockade and try to encourage me to make friends with the Empress. You’re well-known as a fan of Xiomera.”
Pavía was surprised to hear Alvarez’s words, which were delivered with a tone of accusation. She frowned, confused. “You thought I’d continue to support them once they’ve shown their ambitions? I took Calhualyana at her word, but she’s now shown that she won’t keep that, so…”
“So, you don’t work for her, then?”
“What!?” sputtered Pavía. “Of course not! Did you truly think that? God, Josephine, how long have we known each other? Empress Calhualyana was one of the strongest anti-communist voices out there, but why do we oppose communism except in pursuit of greater freedom? The Auria affair has proven that her ambition is not ideological but merely territorial and for greater power and influence. I agree wholeheartedly with her position on communism, that doesn’t mean I want her to rule the damned world!”
“I’m so relieved,” Alvarez exhaled, laughing slightly. “I was worried you’d end up being the Chaher to my Moore. But have you considered that Calhualyana might be using you without your knowledge?”
“I…” Pavía was horrified at the accusations placed in front of her. She put her hand on her heart and looked Alvarez in the eye. “I swear I’m not working for Calhualyana or any other foreign power. My loyalty will always be to Lauchenoiria. It wounds me that you’ve spent time thinking that. I promise, I swear, I would never betray Lauchenoiria.”
Alvarez noticed the tears beginning to form in Pavía’s eyes, the way the horror in her expression filled every inch of her face and the way the other woman was shaking, clearly genuinely upset. She felt almost guilty. “Hey… sorry. Look, I didn’t mean… it’s just with the whole Aurora thing, and all these coups… it’s easy to get a bit paranoid.”
“God, did you think I actually supported Xiomera’s system of government? I promise, it was only ever about opposing communism, and our mutual worry that Huenya was dishonest in their intentions given Yauhmi’s history. Look, Auria opened my eyes. You may have been paranoid, but I’ve been naïve and I know now that Xiomera is not, can never be, our friend.”
“I’m glad, truly,” Alvarez exhaled, reaching over and taking one of Pavía’s hands as the car pulled up outside of the hotel. “We need a united front on this coup issue. The communists hurt us, god knows, but they’re not the only form of authoritarian government out there, and we need to oppose all forms. Okay?”
Pavía nodded, as they both got out of the car and checked into the hotel. Once Pavía had gone into her room, Alvarez lay down on her own bed, looking up at the ceiling and biting her lip. Pavía had seemed genuine, but could she really, truly, trust it? She groaned. This was going to be even more difficult than she anticipated.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax