04-24-2022, 11:36 PM
(Joint Post with Xiomera)
Throne Room, Royal Palace, Lumiere
April 24th, 6:37 PM
General Teoctlehue stood ramrod straight, in a position of parade rest with his hands clasped behind him. He stared impassively at the antique throne in front of him. It didn’t impress him. He had stood before the Obsidian Throne before; the Aurian throne was a polite piece of furniture in comparison.
The CSSC general had once served a similar role in the Imperial Army, before retiring with forty years of service under his belt. He had used that experience to land another lucrative role with CSSC, but he was anything but a kindly old man enjoying a cushy post-retirement role. Teoctlehue had maintained the wiry strength of his youth, through a combination of grueling exercise and rigid self-discipline. He was just as sharp, and as deadly, as he had been when he had first left boot camp decades before.
The discipline that had served him so well in life did have its limits, however. The indecisive and distracted Aurian leadership was sorely testing that discipline. They had brought him up short with their complaints when he had wanted to move on the Côte-Verte base. That had allowed the base to become a bridgehead for a full-on invasion. Troops were pouring into southern Auria. And, still, Michelin and Andrew did nothing. It was as if they wanted to lose.
Teoctlehue had no patience left for such sloth-like incompetence. He had asked for a meeting with the two Aurian leaders because it was time to move. One way or another. Either they would agree to make a play, or CSSC would have to decide if the game was worth playing after all.
The General waited, seemingly staring through the throne, for his hosts to arrive.
The polished mahogany doors swung open, revealing King Andrew Laurent-Cordonnier and General Michelin, the (supposedly) most powerful men in all of Auria. The King was quick to take the gilded throne, crossing his legs and meeting the Xiomeran General's gaze. "Good evening, General. How may we assist you today? I take it you're not here for tea and pleasantries." Michelin had taken a resolute pose behind the throne, silently observing.
”Good evening, your Majesty.” Teoctlehue gave a short bow, as much deference as a Xiomeran soldier would ever show a monarch who was not the Empress. “Thank you for taking the time to see me. And as time is of the essence, I will indeed be direct. The situation in Côte-Verte has grown extremely serious. The base there is now serving as a bridgehead for foreign troops loyal to Sophie. We must move on the base and seek to eliminate that bridgehead at once. If we do not, your foreign and domestic enemies will only grow stronger with each passing day. I am asking for CSSC to be allowed to move immediately against the base with our full capacity, and for the assistance of your armies as well.”
The King was quiet for a moment, considering his words. "I must thank you for consulting me this time. This alliance runs much smoother when its leadership is consulted before actions are taken." His tone, while innocuous, did little to mask the passive agression of his words. "And, while I have slight reservations on your opinion of how drastic this situation is, I do agree that something must be done. That rabble of rebels must be in dire need of supplies by now, and I take it that CSSC's minefield has prevented foreign resupply efforts?"
”Not entirely. The minefield has certainly made it harder and slower for them to resupply, but no passive defense is perfect. Lauchenoiria, Eiria and Milintica are assisting in the efforts to bolster that bridgehead. This is why we have to move quickly,” Teoctlehue replied. He managed to hide his amazement that Auria’s own intelligence services hadn’t made their King aware of the gravity of the situation.
"Ah. It's a shame that those mining efforts were unsuccessful." Michelin gave Andrew an unreadable look, which the king pointedly ignored. "In that case, I wholeheartedly agree. We cannot let foreign nations exploit our own internal... Issues for their own benefit. General Michelin will correspond with you further. He is the best military officer in this country by far, and I trust his judgement immensely. I hope that this will give CSSC an opportunity to prove their reputation. Best of luck, gentlemen. I have a dinner to attend with Minister Lautrec and a number of influential supporters, and I have faith that both of you-" He glanced between the two Generals while standing and buttoning his coat. "-will not disappoint me." He left out the same ornate doors he had entered through, and they shut behind him with an echoingclick.
After Andrew had departed, Teoctlehue entertained himself with brief thoughts of using the distant and arrogant Aurian monarch for target practice. He did not let any sign of those mental musings cross his face as he looked at General Michelin. “It appears we have much to discuss as far as plans. Would you like to speak here, or is there a more appropriate place for this discussion?”
General Michelin watched the closed door for a few moments, a well-masked expression on his face, before turning to face Teoctlehue. "If you don't mind, there is a lounge further down the west side of the palace, we could talk there, in comfortable privacy." His voice, while deep, wasn't gruff or coarse, but somewhat muted, with little trace of an detectable accent. He gestured to the set of doors opposite the one Andrew left through, waiting for a reply from the Xiomeran.
”Very well, please lead the way,” Teoctlehue replied pleasantly. He wasn’t as familiar with the Palace as Michelin was, having only visited it a few times since arriving in Auria. But he also had the instincts of an old soldier, and didn’t often let someone walk behind him in unfamiliar territory. Not even an ally. You never knew when there might be a knife waiting for your back.
Michelin obliged, leading the fellow General down a halfways of polished granite, into a carpeted room with maroon walls and elegant wooden trim. A large bar filled the far wall of the room, and the rest was filled with comfortable-looking couches and large tables embedded with glass. "Please, make yourself comfortable. There are glasses in the upper right cabinet, if you'd like. We should have this area to ourselves, so our plans will be secure." Michelin sat down on one of the chairs, watching the Xiomeran general's actions closely, but not aggressively.
Teoctlehue thanked Michelin and sat down without taking any alcohol. He could drink many people under the table, when the time called for it. A strategy session was not the time.
“I must apologize again for acting prematurely when the naval base in Côte-Verte was taken over. It was not my intention to usurp you. But the situation has grown more serious.”
"No need to apologize. You didn't usurp me. In fact, you were doing precisely what I wanted to do." Michelin nodded at Teoctlehue, pursing his lips. "I'm not entirely incompetent, General. I had plans drawn up to retake Queen Marija's that morning after it was taken. We could've fixed this mess before it even became a mess." He trailed off, his voice taking on a shade of contempt. "But Andrew refused. He wants to save the base, and try to capture as many insurgents as laborers. He's not a military man, never has been. Even the other Ministers were skeptical of his opinions. But Andrew's wrath, at the moment at least, is infamous. No one wants to risk setting him off more."
Teoctlehue nodded. “I had gathered as much. I suppose, given the nature of most Xiomeran rulers, I am somewhat immune to that effect,” he said with a small chuckle. “I believe you to be quite capable, when you are not being unduly restrained. But what general can fight with his arms tied behind his back?”
"A general who knows how to kick, I suppose." He glanced subconsciously at the door. "But such limitations shall no longer be an issue. His Majesty has, for the time, deferred to my judgement. And if he changes his mind... I've known him for a long time. I know how to deal with him." He turned back to General Teoctlehue. "Now that the rebels in Côte-Verte are reinforced, we must act fast. I know CSSC bombarding forces are in position, but are you prepared for an actual assault of the area with infantry?"
”We have been prepared for some time,” Teoctlehue replied. “There are currently two brigade combat teams in position to move now. Our constant bombardment should have softened up the enemy enough for a ground assault now. Any additional forces you can supply, of course, will be beneficial. But I have 8,000 troops ready to move now. We can call on additional reserves if needed, but we have the armor and people in place for an initial strike in depth to gauge the enemy’s strength.”
"Perfect. You will be reinforced by thousands of Garda troops from surrounding regions, and we should work on coordinating a secure perimeter, in order to prevent the enemy from discerning any weakness in our defenses. Now that they have a semi-stable supply route, we cannot afford a break in the line. We also do not know how many more forces they may bring, so we must move quickly, but carefully." The Aurian General's voice had gotten significantly more substantial, taking on the tone of a determined commander.
”Agreed. We must also work to disable, or at least disrupt, that supply line. I will order our anti-ship and anti-air defense systems to begin targeting enemy ships and planes seeking to arrive within the perimeter of the enemy beachhead. Between your forces and ours, we should present a formidable defense. Your troops are now quite familiar with Xiomeran weapons systems, and that should prove to be a significant advantage. I know our technology is a match for anything the enemy might bring to bear.” Teoctlehue smiled more broadly. “We also, thanks to our connections with Imperial Intelligence, have excellent real-time intelligence data of the combat zone. They won’t be able to hide or sneak past us.”
"I am quite grateful for that news. Those advantages will prove more than useful in the battles ahead." Michelin's tone turned from optimistic to resolute. "I must be frank. The Garda Nacōnals is suffering. Morale is at a record low, we have attempted defections across the board, and conscription efforts are stalling due to unrest. If we sustain heavy losses at Côte-Verte, I'm not sure the Garda will recover in the near future. We are spread much too thin, and we risk more unrest and revolts if we fail to retake Queen Marija's."
”Then we had best make sure not to fail.” Teoctlehue tapped the arm of his chair. “I will task additional assets as needed to the assault. Also, with your permission, CSSC can begin taking more proactive steps to rein in unrest, re-establish authority and aid in the conscription efforts."
"Thank you. I'll let you know when and where that assistance is necessary." Michelin's demeanor had shifted, becoming almost... regretful. "I must ask for your discretion. The King does not like these facts discussed outside the Council of Ministers. But, seeing as you are an ally, and you will likely be affected by these problems directly, I see no need to hide this from you." His eyes narrowed. "The King does not understand what it takes to serve in the military. His misconceptions could cost us greatly if we abide by them blindly."
Teoctlehue nodded. “There is nothing worse than a military campaign led by non-military men. As the two men whose job it is to ensure this government and nation are protected, we must keep counsel with each other, and act in the best interest of our shared mission. I will keep any conversations we have between us and make sure that our plans serve the common interest.”
Michelin's expression hardened once again, concealing any emotion it had just shown. "Very well. I will go to the Garda headquarters immediately, and make the necessary arrangements for a full assault on Côte-Verte. As soon as we have a full plan compiled, I will send it to you and your officers. Thank you very much, General. You've been a steadfast ally, and I appreciate your support. With your help, Auria may be truly free from foreign manipulation and internal struggle."
Teoctlehue nodded, standing up. “I look forward to seeing your plan and working together to eliminate this resistance once and for all. Good evening, General.” The CSSC commander nodded politely and left the room, already mentally planning out how CSSC would participate in the upcoming attack.
Michelin nodded back, watching the mercenary general leave the room. Hopefully he's placated enough to be cooperative in the future. He stood, grabbing the phone in his pocket and dialing the number of the Garda Headquarters. It's time to clean up this mess, once and for all.
Throne Room, Royal Palace, Lumiere
April 24th, 6:37 PM
General Teoctlehue stood ramrod straight, in a position of parade rest with his hands clasped behind him. He stared impassively at the antique throne in front of him. It didn’t impress him. He had stood before the Obsidian Throne before; the Aurian throne was a polite piece of furniture in comparison.
The CSSC general had once served a similar role in the Imperial Army, before retiring with forty years of service under his belt. He had used that experience to land another lucrative role with CSSC, but he was anything but a kindly old man enjoying a cushy post-retirement role. Teoctlehue had maintained the wiry strength of his youth, through a combination of grueling exercise and rigid self-discipline. He was just as sharp, and as deadly, as he had been when he had first left boot camp decades before.
The discipline that had served him so well in life did have its limits, however. The indecisive and distracted Aurian leadership was sorely testing that discipline. They had brought him up short with their complaints when he had wanted to move on the Côte-Verte base. That had allowed the base to become a bridgehead for a full-on invasion. Troops were pouring into southern Auria. And, still, Michelin and Andrew did nothing. It was as if they wanted to lose.
Teoctlehue had no patience left for such sloth-like incompetence. He had asked for a meeting with the two Aurian leaders because it was time to move. One way or another. Either they would agree to make a play, or CSSC would have to decide if the game was worth playing after all.
The General waited, seemingly staring through the throne, for his hosts to arrive.
The polished mahogany doors swung open, revealing King Andrew Laurent-Cordonnier and General Michelin, the (supposedly) most powerful men in all of Auria. The King was quick to take the gilded throne, crossing his legs and meeting the Xiomeran General's gaze. "Good evening, General. How may we assist you today? I take it you're not here for tea and pleasantries." Michelin had taken a resolute pose behind the throne, silently observing.
”Good evening, your Majesty.” Teoctlehue gave a short bow, as much deference as a Xiomeran soldier would ever show a monarch who was not the Empress. “Thank you for taking the time to see me. And as time is of the essence, I will indeed be direct. The situation in Côte-Verte has grown extremely serious. The base there is now serving as a bridgehead for foreign troops loyal to Sophie. We must move on the base and seek to eliminate that bridgehead at once. If we do not, your foreign and domestic enemies will only grow stronger with each passing day. I am asking for CSSC to be allowed to move immediately against the base with our full capacity, and for the assistance of your armies as well.”
The King was quiet for a moment, considering his words. "I must thank you for consulting me this time. This alliance runs much smoother when its leadership is consulted before actions are taken." His tone, while innocuous, did little to mask the passive agression of his words. "And, while I have slight reservations on your opinion of how drastic this situation is, I do agree that something must be done. That rabble of rebels must be in dire need of supplies by now, and I take it that CSSC's minefield has prevented foreign resupply efforts?"
”Not entirely. The minefield has certainly made it harder and slower for them to resupply, but no passive defense is perfect. Lauchenoiria, Eiria and Milintica are assisting in the efforts to bolster that bridgehead. This is why we have to move quickly,” Teoctlehue replied. He managed to hide his amazement that Auria’s own intelligence services hadn’t made their King aware of the gravity of the situation.
"Ah. It's a shame that those mining efforts were unsuccessful." Michelin gave Andrew an unreadable look, which the king pointedly ignored. "In that case, I wholeheartedly agree. We cannot let foreign nations exploit our own internal... Issues for their own benefit. General Michelin will correspond with you further. He is the best military officer in this country by far, and I trust his judgement immensely. I hope that this will give CSSC an opportunity to prove their reputation. Best of luck, gentlemen. I have a dinner to attend with Minister Lautrec and a number of influential supporters, and I have faith that both of you-" He glanced between the two Generals while standing and buttoning his coat. "-will not disappoint me." He left out the same ornate doors he had entered through, and they shut behind him with an echoingclick.
After Andrew had departed, Teoctlehue entertained himself with brief thoughts of using the distant and arrogant Aurian monarch for target practice. He did not let any sign of those mental musings cross his face as he looked at General Michelin. “It appears we have much to discuss as far as plans. Would you like to speak here, or is there a more appropriate place for this discussion?”
General Michelin watched the closed door for a few moments, a well-masked expression on his face, before turning to face Teoctlehue. "If you don't mind, there is a lounge further down the west side of the palace, we could talk there, in comfortable privacy." His voice, while deep, wasn't gruff or coarse, but somewhat muted, with little trace of an detectable accent. He gestured to the set of doors opposite the one Andrew left through, waiting for a reply from the Xiomeran.
”Very well, please lead the way,” Teoctlehue replied pleasantly. He wasn’t as familiar with the Palace as Michelin was, having only visited it a few times since arriving in Auria. But he also had the instincts of an old soldier, and didn’t often let someone walk behind him in unfamiliar territory. Not even an ally. You never knew when there might be a knife waiting for your back.
Michelin obliged, leading the fellow General down a halfways of polished granite, into a carpeted room with maroon walls and elegant wooden trim. A large bar filled the far wall of the room, and the rest was filled with comfortable-looking couches and large tables embedded with glass. "Please, make yourself comfortable. There are glasses in the upper right cabinet, if you'd like. We should have this area to ourselves, so our plans will be secure." Michelin sat down on one of the chairs, watching the Xiomeran general's actions closely, but not aggressively.
Teoctlehue thanked Michelin and sat down without taking any alcohol. He could drink many people under the table, when the time called for it. A strategy session was not the time.
“I must apologize again for acting prematurely when the naval base in Côte-Verte was taken over. It was not my intention to usurp you. But the situation has grown more serious.”
"No need to apologize. You didn't usurp me. In fact, you were doing precisely what I wanted to do." Michelin nodded at Teoctlehue, pursing his lips. "I'm not entirely incompetent, General. I had plans drawn up to retake Queen Marija's that morning after it was taken. We could've fixed this mess before it even became a mess." He trailed off, his voice taking on a shade of contempt. "But Andrew refused. He wants to save the base, and try to capture as many insurgents as laborers. He's not a military man, never has been. Even the other Ministers were skeptical of his opinions. But Andrew's wrath, at the moment at least, is infamous. No one wants to risk setting him off more."
Teoctlehue nodded. “I had gathered as much. I suppose, given the nature of most Xiomeran rulers, I am somewhat immune to that effect,” he said with a small chuckle. “I believe you to be quite capable, when you are not being unduly restrained. But what general can fight with his arms tied behind his back?”
"A general who knows how to kick, I suppose." He glanced subconsciously at the door. "But such limitations shall no longer be an issue. His Majesty has, for the time, deferred to my judgement. And if he changes his mind... I've known him for a long time. I know how to deal with him." He turned back to General Teoctlehue. "Now that the rebels in Côte-Verte are reinforced, we must act fast. I know CSSC bombarding forces are in position, but are you prepared for an actual assault of the area with infantry?"
”We have been prepared for some time,” Teoctlehue replied. “There are currently two brigade combat teams in position to move now. Our constant bombardment should have softened up the enemy enough for a ground assault now. Any additional forces you can supply, of course, will be beneficial. But I have 8,000 troops ready to move now. We can call on additional reserves if needed, but we have the armor and people in place for an initial strike in depth to gauge the enemy’s strength.”
"Perfect. You will be reinforced by thousands of Garda troops from surrounding regions, and we should work on coordinating a secure perimeter, in order to prevent the enemy from discerning any weakness in our defenses. Now that they have a semi-stable supply route, we cannot afford a break in the line. We also do not know how many more forces they may bring, so we must move quickly, but carefully." The Aurian General's voice had gotten significantly more substantial, taking on the tone of a determined commander.
”Agreed. We must also work to disable, or at least disrupt, that supply line. I will order our anti-ship and anti-air defense systems to begin targeting enemy ships and planes seeking to arrive within the perimeter of the enemy beachhead. Between your forces and ours, we should present a formidable defense. Your troops are now quite familiar with Xiomeran weapons systems, and that should prove to be a significant advantage. I know our technology is a match for anything the enemy might bring to bear.” Teoctlehue smiled more broadly. “We also, thanks to our connections with Imperial Intelligence, have excellent real-time intelligence data of the combat zone. They won’t be able to hide or sneak past us.”
"I am quite grateful for that news. Those advantages will prove more than useful in the battles ahead." Michelin's tone turned from optimistic to resolute. "I must be frank. The Garda Nacōnals is suffering. Morale is at a record low, we have attempted defections across the board, and conscription efforts are stalling due to unrest. If we sustain heavy losses at Côte-Verte, I'm not sure the Garda will recover in the near future. We are spread much too thin, and we risk more unrest and revolts if we fail to retake Queen Marija's."
”Then we had best make sure not to fail.” Teoctlehue tapped the arm of his chair. “I will task additional assets as needed to the assault. Also, with your permission, CSSC can begin taking more proactive steps to rein in unrest, re-establish authority and aid in the conscription efforts."
"Thank you. I'll let you know when and where that assistance is necessary." Michelin's demeanor had shifted, becoming almost... regretful. "I must ask for your discretion. The King does not like these facts discussed outside the Council of Ministers. But, seeing as you are an ally, and you will likely be affected by these problems directly, I see no need to hide this from you." His eyes narrowed. "The King does not understand what it takes to serve in the military. His misconceptions could cost us greatly if we abide by them blindly."
Teoctlehue nodded. “There is nothing worse than a military campaign led by non-military men. As the two men whose job it is to ensure this government and nation are protected, we must keep counsel with each other, and act in the best interest of our shared mission. I will keep any conversations we have between us and make sure that our plans serve the common interest.”
Michelin's expression hardened once again, concealing any emotion it had just shown. "Very well. I will go to the Garda headquarters immediately, and make the necessary arrangements for a full assault on Côte-Verte. As soon as we have a full plan compiled, I will send it to you and your officers. Thank you very much, General. You've been a steadfast ally, and I appreciate your support. With your help, Auria may be truly free from foreign manipulation and internal struggle."
Teoctlehue nodded, standing up. “I look forward to seeing your plan and working together to eliminate this resistance once and for all. Good evening, General.” The CSSC commander nodded politely and left the room, already mentally planning out how CSSC would participate in the upcoming attack.
Michelin nodded back, watching the mercenary general leave the room. Hopefully he's placated enough to be cooperative in the future. He stood, grabbing the phone in his pocket and dialing the number of the Garda Headquarters. It's time to clean up this mess, once and for all.
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