12-18-2021, 10:33 PM
December 18th
Chuaztlapoc
Huenyan Federal Election Commission Headquarters
11:00 am
"Today, Huenya truly begins rising from the ashes."
Great Speaker Texōccoatl stood confidently on the steps of the Federal Election Commission, addressing the media. "Today, Huenya marks a major milestone in our striding towards democracy and equality. When I cut this ribbon, the doors to our new election commission will officially open. One hour after that, at noon, early voting will officially begin in our first ever national, regional and local elections. At noon today, despite everything we have endured during the war and its aftermath, Huenyans in their millions will begin showing the world exactly what we are made of. With our resilience and determination unshaken, and our desire to join the ranks of the democratic and free nations of the world unswayed, the Huenyan Federation will complete the first free election ever held on Huenyan soil. We will turn the page on centuries of oppression and tyranny, and begin a new era. I hope that the rest of the world is as excited as we are for this monumental event."
With a slight flourish, Texōccoatl raised the scissors he was holding and cut the ribbon that was ceremonially draped over the doors. As the blue and gold ribbon fell to the ground, the doors to the commission swung open. The Great Speaker put down the scissors, cheering and clapping with everyone else in the crowd.
---
Palace of Flowers, Tlālacuetztla
11:00 am
Watching the broadcast from Huenya, Calhualyana snorted in contempt. She took a sip of her morning coffee, before looking over to Tochuitli, her new Security Minister. "I assume IIA is ready to deal with this?"
Tochuitli smiled darkly. "Imperial Intelligence is already in touch with our 'friends' in Huenya. If the Huenyans want to have an election, so be it, but they will find it to be anything but a smooth one."
The Empress nodded, taking another sip of coffee. "Good. I want a daily report of how our operation there is going. Make sure our 'friends' there have everything they need."
---
Secret location, rural eastern Huenya
11:00 am
As he watched the broadcast from the main base of operations for the Golden Blade, Commander Mictlāntēcutli snarled.
"Mictlāntēcutli" wasn't his real name; he had taken the name of the god of the dead as a nom de guerre because it suited his intent. In his mind, anyone who supported the Huenyan government or opposed the Xiomeran Empire was a traitor. And traitors deserved only death. It was the intent of the Golden Blade leader to make sure that was exactly what the traitors earned.
While the name was fake, the title was real. Mictlāntēcutli had been a commander once, in the Xiomeran Imperial Army. After the war, he had two options: retreat back to Xiomera proper, like so many did, or stay and fight for what he considered his home and the rightful order of things. Mictlāntēcutli had never retreated from a fight, and he had no plan to do so now. The so-called Huenyans, and their foreign lackeys, would pay for what they had done. And someday, Huenya would indeed be united - under Xiomeran rule, as it was meant to be. The lands of Huenya had been bestowed on the Xiomerans by the gods, and he would fight to regain what he had been lost.
And if that was successful, someday, a restored Xiomeran Empire would punish the foreigners who had dared to help secessionist rabble tear apart his country for their own agendas. If he was fortunate to live long enough to see that day, he would help lead that fight also.
"Commander? The liaison is here to see you," one of his aides said. Putting his pleasant thoughts aside for now, the Commander stood up and walked with his aide to a nearby greeting area. "Good morning. Pleasure to see you, as always," the Commander said.
"The pleasure is all mine," Calxochitli replied with a smile. The agent with Imperial Intelligence handed Mictlāntēcutli a packet. "More supplies and equipment coming for your people. Shall we discuss the delivery?"
Mictlāntēcutli grinned eagerly, and gestured for Calxochitli to follow him.
---
Necuatexi, Necatli Region
11:00 am
The new leader of the Necatli people was watching the broadcast from Chuaztlapoc as well. He had mixed feelings.
Macochu, the son of Huacue, was now tasked with leading his people after his father's arrest for war crimes. Like many Necatli, he felt that the arrest and prosecution were politically motivated, or possibly payback for Huacue's role in forcing Yauhmi to abdicate. But Macochu knew something many Necatli did not: his father had committed the crime. Huacue had told him that he had ordered the execution of an unarmed, unresisting Xiomeran commander who had surrendered. What was more, Huacue had told his son that he had absolutely no regrets about it. "Even if they punish me for it, that man ran an internment camp where many of our people suffered and even died. He deserved death, whether I delivered it to him or some court in Chuaztlapoc did it. Whatever this court decides, I would have done it again," Huacue had said.
Macochu also felt that the Imperial Army commander who ran the internment camp did, indeed, deserve death. But he was not as sure that his father had been right to act as judge, jury and executioner. That's how the Xiomerans do things, he had thought after his father confessed to him.
He believed that the Necatli lands, and Huenya as a whole, had to be a place where laws were obeyed, and a just legal process followed, for any of its people to be free or for there to be true justice. But he wasn't sure if he could simply agree to let some court send his father off to prison, or worse. He also wasn't sure that he could support the people in Chuaztlapoc who would decide his father's fate, if they chose harshly.
On the eve of a historic election that would determine the future of Huenya, the new leader of one of its component states was finding his loyalties severely tested.
---
Chuzatlapoc
Election Commission HQ
12:00 noon
As the clock struck noon, with the cameras rolling, Great Speaker Texōccoatl pressed a button.
With a bright and cheery-sounding chime, a large digital clock came online at the top of one wall, showing a countdown to Election Day. Computers began running, and election workers began connecting systems to their counterparts scattered around Huenya. A combination of Huenyan technical know-how and foreign aid had put together quite an efficient election system.
As the election commission's network came on-line, early voting sites around the country began opening their doors, with tight security at many of them. Election workers and foreign observers began gathering at the voting sites, the day's work ahead of them. From noon to 8 pm for the next seven days, early voters would begin casting their votes.
Despite the misgivings and opposition of some, the moment that had been the subject of much anticipation, hope, politicking and campaigning for Huenyans for almost a year had finally arrived. The first election for a free Huenya was now officially underway.
Chuaztlapoc
Huenyan Federal Election Commission Headquarters
11:00 am
"Today, Huenya truly begins rising from the ashes."
Great Speaker Texōccoatl stood confidently on the steps of the Federal Election Commission, addressing the media. "Today, Huenya marks a major milestone in our striding towards democracy and equality. When I cut this ribbon, the doors to our new election commission will officially open. One hour after that, at noon, early voting will officially begin in our first ever national, regional and local elections. At noon today, despite everything we have endured during the war and its aftermath, Huenyans in their millions will begin showing the world exactly what we are made of. With our resilience and determination unshaken, and our desire to join the ranks of the democratic and free nations of the world unswayed, the Huenyan Federation will complete the first free election ever held on Huenyan soil. We will turn the page on centuries of oppression and tyranny, and begin a new era. I hope that the rest of the world is as excited as we are for this monumental event."
With a slight flourish, Texōccoatl raised the scissors he was holding and cut the ribbon that was ceremonially draped over the doors. As the blue and gold ribbon fell to the ground, the doors to the commission swung open. The Great Speaker put down the scissors, cheering and clapping with everyone else in the crowd.
---
Palace of Flowers, Tlālacuetztla
11:00 am
Watching the broadcast from Huenya, Calhualyana snorted in contempt. She took a sip of her morning coffee, before looking over to Tochuitli, her new Security Minister. "I assume IIA is ready to deal with this?"
Tochuitli smiled darkly. "Imperial Intelligence is already in touch with our 'friends' in Huenya. If the Huenyans want to have an election, so be it, but they will find it to be anything but a smooth one."
The Empress nodded, taking another sip of coffee. "Good. I want a daily report of how our operation there is going. Make sure our 'friends' there have everything they need."
---
Secret location, rural eastern Huenya
11:00 am
As he watched the broadcast from the main base of operations for the Golden Blade, Commander Mictlāntēcutli snarled.
"Mictlāntēcutli" wasn't his real name; he had taken the name of the god of the dead as a nom de guerre because it suited his intent. In his mind, anyone who supported the Huenyan government or opposed the Xiomeran Empire was a traitor. And traitors deserved only death. It was the intent of the Golden Blade leader to make sure that was exactly what the traitors earned.
While the name was fake, the title was real. Mictlāntēcutli had been a commander once, in the Xiomeran Imperial Army. After the war, he had two options: retreat back to Xiomera proper, like so many did, or stay and fight for what he considered his home and the rightful order of things. Mictlāntēcutli had never retreated from a fight, and he had no plan to do so now. The so-called Huenyans, and their foreign lackeys, would pay for what they had done. And someday, Huenya would indeed be united - under Xiomeran rule, as it was meant to be. The lands of Huenya had been bestowed on the Xiomerans by the gods, and he would fight to regain what he had been lost.
And if that was successful, someday, a restored Xiomeran Empire would punish the foreigners who had dared to help secessionist rabble tear apart his country for their own agendas. If he was fortunate to live long enough to see that day, he would help lead that fight also.
"Commander? The liaison is here to see you," one of his aides said. Putting his pleasant thoughts aside for now, the Commander stood up and walked with his aide to a nearby greeting area. "Good morning. Pleasure to see you, as always," the Commander said.
"The pleasure is all mine," Calxochitli replied with a smile. The agent with Imperial Intelligence handed Mictlāntēcutli a packet. "More supplies and equipment coming for your people. Shall we discuss the delivery?"
Mictlāntēcutli grinned eagerly, and gestured for Calxochitli to follow him.
---
Necuatexi, Necatli Region
11:00 am
The new leader of the Necatli people was watching the broadcast from Chuaztlapoc as well. He had mixed feelings.
Macochu, the son of Huacue, was now tasked with leading his people after his father's arrest for war crimes. Like many Necatli, he felt that the arrest and prosecution were politically motivated, or possibly payback for Huacue's role in forcing Yauhmi to abdicate. But Macochu knew something many Necatli did not: his father had committed the crime. Huacue had told him that he had ordered the execution of an unarmed, unresisting Xiomeran commander who had surrendered. What was more, Huacue had told his son that he had absolutely no regrets about it. "Even if they punish me for it, that man ran an internment camp where many of our people suffered and even died. He deserved death, whether I delivered it to him or some court in Chuaztlapoc did it. Whatever this court decides, I would have done it again," Huacue had said.
Macochu also felt that the Imperial Army commander who ran the internment camp did, indeed, deserve death. But he was not as sure that his father had been right to act as judge, jury and executioner. That's how the Xiomerans do things, he had thought after his father confessed to him.
He believed that the Necatli lands, and Huenya as a whole, had to be a place where laws were obeyed, and a just legal process followed, for any of its people to be free or for there to be true justice. But he wasn't sure if he could simply agree to let some court send his father off to prison, or worse. He also wasn't sure that he could support the people in Chuaztlapoc who would decide his father's fate, if they chose harshly.
On the eve of a historic election that would determine the future of Huenya, the new leader of one of its component states was finding his loyalties severely tested.
---
Chuzatlapoc
Election Commission HQ
12:00 noon
As the clock struck noon, with the cameras rolling, Great Speaker Texōccoatl pressed a button.
With a bright and cheery-sounding chime, a large digital clock came online at the top of one wall, showing a countdown to Election Day. Computers began running, and election workers began connecting systems to their counterparts scattered around Huenya. A combination of Huenyan technical know-how and foreign aid had put together quite an efficient election system.
As the election commission's network came on-line, early voting sites around the country began opening their doors, with tight security at many of them. Election workers and foreign observers began gathering at the voting sites, the day's work ahead of them. From noon to 8 pm for the next seven days, early voters would begin casting their votes.
Despite the misgivings and opposition of some, the moment that had been the subject of much anticipation, hope, politicking and campaigning for Huenyans for almost a year had finally arrived. The first election for a free Huenya was now officially underway.
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