12-14-2021, 09:38 AM
December 14th
Despite the fears of Berenstein and Michelin, they need not have worried. Calhualyana wasn't planning to outright take over Auria. The current arrangement was too beneficial for Xiomera.
In the weeks after the conversation she had with the Aurian coup leaders, the Empress had ordered the next phase of the Xiomeran operation in Auria to begin. The first phase had been about getting as many mercenaries into the country as possible, along with as much supplies and weapons as possible, before any intervention took place. The next phase would continue to try to funnel mercenaries and supplies into Auria, evading the blockade. But the next phase would be more about entrenchment.
CSSC mercenaries were now taking up a major presence in Aurian cities, helping the Aurian soldiers and police guard key installations and setting up security checkpoints. Military, government and security installations were being hardened. CSSC techs were helping implement new identification protocols, linked to a central database. This was the practical side of the next phase.
The more intangible side of the next phase was aimed at convincing the Aurian people that the Xiomerans were there to help them, and that the difficult situation in the country was not the fault of the new government. Assisting Gerand in his efforts, propaganda messages soon began circulating throughout social media, television and radio aiming blame squarely at the coalition backing Queen Sophie and denouncing her as the queen who had "abandoned" Auria. Similar propaganda messages began appearing around Aurian cities and the countryside, on everything from pamphlets and wall posters to billboards. The goal was to convince Aurians that it was the nations behind the blockade, and the Queen, who were to blame for their current struggles. A secondary goal was to convince Aurians that Xiomera was their friend, and was trying to help them, through the same propaganda campaign.
The propaganda campaign wasn't only being waged with messages, however. As CSSC built temporary airfields in western Auria, relief flights began streaming in to bring urgently needed goods and basic supplies for the Aurian citizens. While the coalition supporting the Queen had implemented a naval blockade, they had never implemented a no-fly zone. This was an error the Xiomerans were more than happy to exploit, as it lessened the burden on their merchant marine trying to evade the blockade. Relief flights bringing food and goods "donated by the Xiomeran people" were now being distributed throughout the country. If those flights also happened to bring in more men with guns, well, that was just extra cargo.
The ultimate goal of the "words and food" campaign was simple: make the coalition the bad guys, and the Xiomerans the benevolent, friendly neighbors just trying to help Auria out in the face of foreign meddling that was hurting everyday Aurians. If the naval blockade was tightened up, and the relief flights forced to stop, that still served the Xiomerans' purpose. They were already ready to roll out new propaganda blaming the Eirians, Lauchenoirians and Milinticans for the suffering that would result if supplies could no longer get through from Xiomera.
And if everything else failed, and it came to force, CSSC had been given months to prepare defenses. Air and ground defenses of a scale never before seen in Auria were now in place, and more were being constructed every single day. If those backing the Queen did decide to force the issue, they would have quite the welcome waiting for them.
Of course, none of this was free. Xiomera was getting its repayment, in the form of raw materials. Xiomera had countered the opposition of the world's democracies by finding new sources for the resources its industries needed - Shuell and Iskiram. Auria was now an additional source of such resources. The blockade had cut Auria off from trading with the rest of the world, so it was either Xiomera or nothing. It wasn't theft; the Xiomerans were paying what they considered a very fair price for the resources. In addition, they were providing Auria with a lot of support; it was only fair to get something back for all of that, after all.
While the world watched, Xiomera calmly continued with its plans for Auria. Xiomerans loved a deal, and the deal they had written for themselves in Auria was just too good.
Despite the fears of Berenstein and Michelin, they need not have worried. Calhualyana wasn't planning to outright take over Auria. The current arrangement was too beneficial for Xiomera.
In the weeks after the conversation she had with the Aurian coup leaders, the Empress had ordered the next phase of the Xiomeran operation in Auria to begin. The first phase had been about getting as many mercenaries into the country as possible, along with as much supplies and weapons as possible, before any intervention took place. The next phase would continue to try to funnel mercenaries and supplies into Auria, evading the blockade. But the next phase would be more about entrenchment.
CSSC mercenaries were now taking up a major presence in Aurian cities, helping the Aurian soldiers and police guard key installations and setting up security checkpoints. Military, government and security installations were being hardened. CSSC techs were helping implement new identification protocols, linked to a central database. This was the practical side of the next phase.
The more intangible side of the next phase was aimed at convincing the Aurian people that the Xiomerans were there to help them, and that the difficult situation in the country was not the fault of the new government. Assisting Gerand in his efforts, propaganda messages soon began circulating throughout social media, television and radio aiming blame squarely at the coalition backing Queen Sophie and denouncing her as the queen who had "abandoned" Auria. Similar propaganda messages began appearing around Aurian cities and the countryside, on everything from pamphlets and wall posters to billboards. The goal was to convince Aurians that it was the nations behind the blockade, and the Queen, who were to blame for their current struggles. A secondary goal was to convince Aurians that Xiomera was their friend, and was trying to help them, through the same propaganda campaign.
The propaganda campaign wasn't only being waged with messages, however. As CSSC built temporary airfields in western Auria, relief flights began streaming in to bring urgently needed goods and basic supplies for the Aurian citizens. While the coalition supporting the Queen had implemented a naval blockade, they had never implemented a no-fly zone. This was an error the Xiomerans were more than happy to exploit, as it lessened the burden on their merchant marine trying to evade the blockade. Relief flights bringing food and goods "donated by the Xiomeran people" were now being distributed throughout the country. If those flights also happened to bring in more men with guns, well, that was just extra cargo.
The ultimate goal of the "words and food" campaign was simple: make the coalition the bad guys, and the Xiomerans the benevolent, friendly neighbors just trying to help Auria out in the face of foreign meddling that was hurting everyday Aurians. If the naval blockade was tightened up, and the relief flights forced to stop, that still served the Xiomerans' purpose. They were already ready to roll out new propaganda blaming the Eirians, Lauchenoirians and Milinticans for the suffering that would result if supplies could no longer get through from Xiomera.
And if everything else failed, and it came to force, CSSC had been given months to prepare defenses. Air and ground defenses of a scale never before seen in Auria were now in place, and more were being constructed every single day. If those backing the Queen did decide to force the issue, they would have quite the welcome waiting for them.
Of course, none of this was free. Xiomera was getting its repayment, in the form of raw materials. Xiomera had countered the opposition of the world's democracies by finding new sources for the resources its industries needed - Shuell and Iskiram. Auria was now an additional source of such resources. The blockade had cut Auria off from trading with the rest of the world, so it was either Xiomera or nothing. It wasn't theft; the Xiomerans were paying what they considered a very fair price for the resources. In addition, they were providing Auria with a lot of support; it was only fair to get something back for all of that, after all.
While the world watched, Xiomera calmly continued with its plans for Auria. Xiomerans loved a deal, and the deal they had written for themselves in Auria was just too good.
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