Jointly written with Xiomera
As their plane approached Grapevale, Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi had privately agreed on one thing: not to expect much. It wasn't that Kerlile disliked Huenya, or particularly liked Calhualyana much. The various members of the Council were sure to have their own beliefs and opinions on those particular questions, but Kerlile survived lately by (mostly) keeping out of the affairs of other countries. Yauhmi had noted, however, that the Kerlians had decided to involve themselves in the conflict that led to the creation of Huenya, on the side of the Huenyans. Tlalmaxxi, as was her role, deflated that particular hope by reminding Yauhmi that was before Calhualyana came into the picture.
So the hopes of the Huenyan delegation were best described as a hope for friendly equilibrium. If the Huenyans couldn't expect to swing Kerlile openly to their side, maintaining a beneficial neutrality would be almost as good.
The plane finally touched down, and the Huenyan delegation exited. Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi were in front of the group, side by side, as they walked from the plane to meet their hosts.
Waiting to greet the Huenyans was President Rebecca Arnott, Councillor Electra Georgiou, and Foreign Minister Katrine Porter. The latter notably stood alongside the former pair - a change since Porter's last public appearance. It had long been tradition for members of Council families to stand just a little ahead of any officials from the common people. After the work of the reformists, the sharp-eyed would note, that appeared to have changed.
"Nantzintli Yauhmi!" President Arnott greeted their visitor, her pronunciation only a little off. "It's wonderful to see you again."
"It is wonderful to see you again as well, and to be back in Kerlile, madam President," Yauhmi replied with a warm smile. "I don't believe you have had a chance to formally meet our new cihuātlahtoāni," she added as Tlalmaxxi stepped forward. "I'm honored to meet all of you," Tlalmaxxi said. "I have always wanted to visit Kerlile, so this is a pleasant turn of circumstances for me."
"It's an honour to have you both here," Councillor Georgiou stepped in. "I am unsure if you're acquainted with our Foreign Minister, Katrine Porter? She is taking over many of the duties that traditionally fell to Council members as we move towards a more democratic political system here in Kerlile."
"We met at the Jinyu conference," Yauhmi replied. "Good to see you again as well, Minister Porter." Yauhmi had caught the subtle change in position where Porter was standing from previous encounters with the Kerlians, and silently approved. Tlalmaxxi gave Porter a polite nod of greeting.
"If you'll come with us, we have a drinks reception at the Council Chambers," Georgiou added, smoothly directing the party towards the waiting vehicles.
"That sounds wonderful after all this flying we've been doing," Yauhmi said as they walked to the vehicles. Once inside and on their way, Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi made polite small talk during the drive - the weather, the scenery of Grapevale, that sort of thing. The real discussions would take place once they arrived.
As the party pulled up to the Council Chambers, they saw something which would have been unspeakable only a single year earlier. A small, rather pathetic by the standards of an established democracy, protest was taking place off to the side of the road. Police had surrounded them, but weren't arresting them or moving them on. The signs were crudely drawn, but the general theme was clear: Votes For Men!
Both Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi noticed the protest and smiled. Huenyans had also not been used to being able to openly protest at first, after centuries of Xiomeran domination. The first protests after independence had been small and rather weak, just like the one they were seeing. But Huenyans had picked up on the power of protest quickly enough, and were now rather fond of doing so for just about any issue. Yauhmi couldn't help but think that the same would happen in Kerlile...if the reformists held on, that is. "Now that is interesting," Yauhmi said in the slightly breathy tone she tended to fall into when focused. "Has that become a commonplace event?"
The reactions of the Kerlians had varied when the protest came into view. Georgiou had been proud, expecting, almost as if she intended for them to see it. Porter was more tense, like a gambler waiting to see if it paid off. Arnott was... unreadable. Yet it was her who spoke.
"The men's suffrage movement has been staging small demonstrations, infrequently. I expect they timed this one for your visit. As for other groups, we do often get the religious rights protesters, the same three people usually. Then there are the climate groups who usually have Lauchenoirian tourists with them. But they tend to stick to the city centre."
”I admire that you are allowing them to take place. As we learned in Xiomera, when peoples’ beliefs are not given an outlet to be expressed, they eventually do so in a violent fashion. That is how Huenya came into existence - centuries of peoples’ voices being stifled finally exploding like a boiling teapot with no way to let off steam. Allowing protests is a good safety valve to societal pressures as long as the protesters themselves act in a civil fashion.” Yauhmi nodded towards the small group of protesters.
President Arnott made a noncommittal noise, preferring that to potentially saying the wrong thing. It was at that moment Georgiou took over, changing the subject to talk about the architectural history of the Council Chambers and Grapevale itself to the guests, as they pulled up to the building.
Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi gracefully accepted the change of subject, expressing admiration for the architecture. Arnott’s less than eager embrace of the right to protest, however, would definitely be the subject of discussion between Tlalmaxxi and the analysts at FIS once they returned to Chuaztlapoc. Along with the fact that the protests were even being allowed, of course.
When they finally pulled up to the Council Chambers and exited the vehicle, the two Huenyans took a moment to admire the scenery. “It is remarkable how much Kerlile has been able to achieve in the face of adversity. It speaks well to the strength and tenacity of Kerlians,” Yauhmi observed.
"Since our very foundation, people have doubted not only our right to exist, but our very ability," Porter replied. "Kerlile was founded at a time when most nearby nations treated women as second class citizens, societally and legally. We have had to work hard to assert our place as a legitimate nation. We are judged twice as harshly as the patriarchal countries, much like women are judged more harshly than men on an individual level in the politics of elsewhere. We are strong because we have had to be, in the face of their judgement."
”We can only hope that Huenya proves to be as capable of standing the test of time as Kerlile has proven to be,” Tlalmaxxi said as the group walked to the building. “We are facing our own serious challenges as we try to build a future.”
"I have no doubt you will rise to meet them," Georgiou said as the party was escorted inside the building. She opened her mouth to say more, when she was interrupted by a toddler running up and grabbing her leg. The small girl said something unintelligible, but Georgiou clearly understood, sighing and turning to the guests.
"My apologies, I need to return Amelia to her mother. I will return shortly," she said, lifting up the tiny Amelia Hale and winding through the gathered Council family members and assorted newly-empowered politicians. For all the reform, the only men in the room were servers.
"Would you like something to drink?" asked Arnott, smoothly turning back to Yauhmi as Georgiou carted off the loose toddler.
Yauhmi’s eyes had lit up in a grandmotherly fashion, and she seemed almost disappointed when the toddler was carried away. Tlalmaxxi simply smiled, thinking of her own child. “A drink would be lovely,” Yauhmi said. “Provisions aboard Huenyan military aircraft are…a bit utilitarian,” she added diplomatically.
Arnott chuckled and waved down a server, who quickly took their drinks orders. Then the President of Kerlile led the Huenyans over to a table, inviting them to sit down. The other people in the room did not approach, but it was clear they were all watching, only pretending otherwise.
Once they were seated, Arnott shifted imperceptibly and switched from small talk to business. "We have been hearing some concerning rumours from your corner of the world," the President said. "I do hope the situation is less unstable than the media would have us believe?"
”They are stabilizing, but the situation is still difficult, I must admit.” Yauhmi tapped her glass as she spoke. “They would be stabilizing faster if it were not for the constant interference and plots of Calhualyana and her regime. But thanks to our friends and allies, we are still on the right path.”
Arnott and Porter nodded as Yauhmi spoke. When she finished, it was Porter who replied. "We've been watching the situations both in Huenya and Auria as they have developed. We'd like to make it clear that we do not recognise the so-called state of Western Xiomera, in spite of certain rumours to the contrary. We recognise that our position has been unclear; this has been an unfortunate necessity given the hostilities towards us from certain countries."
It was not unfortunate at all, it benefited Kerlile greatly to play both sides, but the Kerlians were hardly going to admit that. Nevertheless, the splintering of Huenya would not benefit Kerlile at all, and therefore this particular piece of aggression from Calhualyana had annoyed them quite a bit.
”We certainly understand the geopolitical realities Kerlile faces, and why it isn’t prudent for you to openly take sides one way or the other at this time.” Yauhmi adopted a sympathetic expression. “We hope that Kerlile and Huenya can maintain a mutually beneficial partnership without drawing you into any external conflict. We do feel compelled, however, to urge you to be very wary concerning Calhualyana and her ambitions. She sees most people as expendable if it suits her purposes - something we think the Aurians will discover to their regret in time.”
"I assure you, we do not intend to repeat the Aurians' mistakes," Arnott chuckled dryly. "Foreign military forces will never be invited into Kerlile regardless of what happens, no matter how much they claim to be a private corporation. But your mentioning of Calhualyana does bring up another question we have had. Are you aware of the actions two years ago of the former member of the Aurora Programme, known as Nelly, or alternatively Zichitla?"
”We were certainly aware of what was announced publicly,” Yauhmi replied. “Her opposition to the peace agreement in particular. The violent nature of her objection was a concern to our intelligence people, but we’ve had no information about her since then.”
As was her nature, Yauhmi didn’t believe Zichitla posed a danger to Huenya. Tlalmaxxi was not quite as trusting. While she kept a politely curious expression on her face, the former intelligence agent had her observation skills on full alert.
Katrine Porter, who had been present when Zichitla had made her 'objection' known, was tense. The former Aurora had grown to become something of a personal bogeyman, and she was glancing around when she realised Arnott wished her to speak.
"Ah, yes," Porter said, flustered. "This really isn't my area of expertise, where did Councillor Georgiou get to?"
"We have reason to believe Zichitla poses a threat not only to Kerlile, but globally," Arnott took over, glancing sharply at Porter. "We do not presently know where she is, how many false identities she has, or what she is up to. What we do know is that she has attempted to recruit several of her former colleagues in the Aurora Programme to join some kind of, well, it appears to be some kind of apocalyptic cult."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration," Councillor Pierre appeared at the table and interjected. From the look on Arnott's face, the Councillor had not been invited.
”Good afternoon, Councillor Pierre.” Rather than stand up again, Yauhmi gave the new arrival a polite nod. “Lovely to see you again.”
Tlalmaxxi greeted Pierre politely as well, but her attention was now laser focused on what Arnott had said. “Do you have any idea what her purpose would be in doing so?”
"She appears to believe that the entire world is responsible for her woes, and that it ought to be destroyed in vengeance," Arnott replied, to which Pierre scoffed.
"That's one interpretation, of course," the Councillor responded. "I'm inclined to believe her goal is world conquest, not world destruction."
"Either is bad," Porter said quietly.
Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi exchanged a long look. It was Tlalmaxxi who finally spoke. “Both are indeed bad. Though, if her goal was conquest, she would undoubtedly run afoul of Calhualyana, who I suspect has the same goal. I would be inclined to let the two of them destroy each other, but that would be rather a lot of collateral damage.”
“Also, that would run counter to our stated goal in Huenya to save Auroras rather than destroy them,” Yauhmi replied firmly. Tlalmaxxi’s expression in response was unreadable.
"We are grateful for your attitude towards the Auroras," Pierre replied, though the other two gave her the side-eye. "Confused, but grateful!" she laughed a little too loudly, and it was then that it became apparent that Pierre was very, very drunk.
At that point, Georgiou reappeared and took the other Councillor's arm. "Pauline, I believe your daughter was looking for you? On the subject of Zichitla though, I think we're all forgetting that one individual without a military and the backing of a state would have a very difficult time attempting to conquer the world - a goal that many have tried, and nobody has ever achieved."
”But even if an effort is doomed to failure, it can still cause a lot of damage along the way,” Tlalmaxxi mused. “How likely do you think it is that she could attract significant numbers to her cause?”
"Incredibly slim," Georgiou replied.
At the same time, Arnott said, "there are many angry people out there."
The pair looked at each other, frustration in their faces. Georgiou deferred to the President after the brief staring contest.
"We've had no indications that she has recruited many," Arnott conceded, "but analysis indicates a number of groups she may have success in approaching. Which brings us to why we have spoken with you about this, which may seem like a matter of internal security. We are concerned she is attempting to recruit the Auroras you have granted asylum to."
That statement caused another long look between the Huenyan leaders. Yauhmi finally broke the silence. “We have seen no evidence of that, and, well….several of them live with me. I really don’t believe any of the Auroras we have given sanctuary to would be responsive to any such efforts on Zichitla’s part.”
“The possibility cannot be completely discounted, however, that Zichitla will at least try to recruit them,” Tlalmaxxi countered. This caused a brief exchange of frustrated glances between them which mirrored the one between Georgiou and Arnott.
"Where's the server? My drink's empty," Pierre drifted away from the group, seeking to become even drunker. The remaining Kerlians apologised to their guest for the interruption, and then Georgiou actually took her seat. Once things were settled again, Arnott continued.
"We have a source, which I cannot reveal, that suggests some of your Auroras have been in contact with some of ours - those who chose to return to Kerlile, I mean. I'm unsure if you are aware, but the whole affair with Carmen Robinson was set off by one of those contacts," Arnott said, pointedly glancing over to where Pierre was currently spilling her wine while her daughter tried to get her to leave.
”Do you have any information to suggest that anyone connected to Zichitla has contacted any of the Auroras in Huenya?” Tlalmaxxi asked the question almost as if she dreaded the answer. Yauhmi’s expression had shifted to one of slight skepticism.
"No," Georgiou responded, "President Arnott is somewhat ahead of herself on this matter. The vast majority of people in KIS do not believe her to be a threat."
"Which is exactly what they said about... never mind," Arnott shook her head. "The point is that we do not know who she has already converted here. It is like a plague, they do not need direct contact to Zichitla to be infected if they've already caught it from someone else."
”This does seem like quite a dilemma,” Yauhmi said after a moment. “There is only so much Huenya can do in response. We have committed to follow a democratic course, which means we can’t accuse or arrest anyone without solid proof that they represent a clear and immediate danger. Even increasing surveillance on our Auroras would cause distrust and fear on their part, which is exactly what we want to avoid.”
"We only ask that if you find Zichitla in your country, that you detain her. She is officially convicted of four counts of attempted murder; even a democracy has to consider such things," Arnott replied.
”Oh, of course. We would honor that request,” Tlalmaxxi said. “We would ask for a formal warrant or notice to detain be sent to FIS, prior to that event. But that is just a formality. We can keep it secret until such time as needed.” Yauhmi looked distinctly uncomfortable at that point, but said nothing.
"Of course, everything will be done formally and legally. We believe she is crossing borders regularly," Arnott replied.
At that moment, everyone's attention was drawn to the other side of the room as Councillor Pauline Pierre, having finally hit her limit, vomited all over the middle of the floor.
"We are so sorry for her," Georgiou winced, clearly extremely embarrassed. "She... honestly she doesn't usually do this. Maybe we should actually get some medical help. Uh, excuse me. Perhaps we can continue the discussion tomorrow?"
With that, Georgiou hurried off and Porter deftly began to ask the Huenyans about their local cuisine and other such small talk topics.
Yauhmi and Tlalmaxxi gracefully accepted the change of topic for the rest of the conversation, but behind the polite expressions on their faces, their minds were turning. Yauhmi had encountered Pauline Pierre several times in the past. She had never seen her show such a loss of control before. What is the cause of that? she wondered. Tlalmaxxi was pondering the same thing, but with considerably less context.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax
