09-04-2024, 08:04 AM
Act I: Setting the Stage
Peoples' Electoral Commission headquarters
Huānoch, Milintica
September 2nd
Wera Hauraki, Chairman of the Peoples' Electoral Committee, smiled to himself as the cameras shut off. He had just made the announcement to the nation that Neina Arana had won the Milintican presidential elections.
The camera crew from Milintican Peoples' Broadcasting soon finished taking down their equipment and left the Chairman's office, leaving Hauraki alone with his thoughts. The Chairman paused for a moment, then took a small badge from his pocket. He looked at its surface, the lights of his office making the badge shine brightly. The golden star with the rifle, sword and farm tool inlaid into it, surrounded by ruby red, had been his cap badge from his time, decades ago, in the Peoples' Army. It had been the symbol on the Milintican flag for over 90 years, before President Matōchmizalo had changed the national flag and symbols.
Hauraki rather liked the old symbols better.
He smiled once more, before returning the badge to his pocket.
---
Haven House
Huānoch, Milintica
September 2nd
President Matōchmizalo slammed his fist onto his office desk. More than one person in the room flinched at the sound. "How did this happen?" The President shook his head angrily. "Just a few weeks ago, we had a ten point lead in the polls. None of this makes sense. Someone explain to me how Neina-fucking-Arana just won this election!"
Wiremu Witika, the President's campaign manager, grimaced. "She didn't. She couldn't have. I don't understand these results either. They must be rigged. There is no other explanation. We were winning just days ago."
Prime Minister Tupai Tapihana sighed. "That's a very serious charge. We can't accuse Arana or the MCP of rigging this election without evidence."
"But it would have been all too easy to fudge the numbers," Witika stubbornly insisted. "Only 22,843 votes put Arana on top. That's a small enough number to arrange."
"If we do manage to get this result overturned, the first thing we need to do is destroy the Greens and the Progressives." Huia Tahiwi, the First Lady, snapped. "If either of their candidates had just dropped out and endorsed Matōchmizalo as we asked, this election would have been sealed for us."
"That is definitely a plan for later," Matōchmizalo said grimly. "But for now, we need to figure out how to head this madness off." He turned to Hakiri Maurea, Milintica's Attorney General. "I need you to get with Wiremu and our legal team to figure out exactly how to play this with the Supreme Tribunal. Get the NDIP and the National Police on this too. If there is even a shred of proof that Arana rigged this, I want it found yesterday."
"Even if they don't find proof, just make some up!" Witika gesticulated wildly. Tapihana glared at the campaign manager, his brow furrowed. "I will not participate in any trickery like that!"
"Damnit, Tupai, now is not the time to play nice!" Tahiwi pointed her finger at Tapihana. "We cannot let Arana become President! She will destroy this country! Now is the time to do whatever it takes to keep her from ever sitting in this office! Put a bullet in her brain if we have to, even. But she cannot take power. She simply cannot."
Tapihana's face reddened as he stood up. "You are crossing a line, madam First Lady. Do you want to become what you hate most?"
"Sit down, Tupai. Please," Matōchmizalo said. Tapihana sat down after a moment of hesitation, still glaring at Witika and Tahiwi.
"We don't need to ponder such dramatic solutions...just yet, anyway. But we do need to keep Neina from taking power. She will destroy Milintica, truly. But we can prevent that." The President turned to the one person in the room who hadn't yet spoken.
Teuitzi, the Supreme General of the Peoples' Army, sighed. "You're not seriously asking me to launch a coup on your behalf, are you, sir?"
"It would not be a coup. Neina Arana is not President right now. I am." Matōchmizalo looked at Teuitzi expectantly. "You swore an oath to protect Milintica from any enemies, including domestic ones. Neina Arana is a domestic enemy of this state. Will you do your job?"
"It is not my job to overturn an election. Nor is it the role of the Peoples' Army to do so. Your order to do so, if given, would be an illegal order and I would be honor bound to refuse it," Teuitzi replied firmly.
"Then resign! Either that, or we discharge you and find someone who will!" Tahiwi glared daggers at the General, who returned the glare blandly. "If you believe any of the officers below me would go along with that, madam First Lady, or that the soldiers under their command would obey, you are welcome to try."
"Enough, enough," Matōchmizalo said wearily. "It would appear that the only option, then, is to rely on the case that we present to the Supreme Tribunal and hope that it succeeds. But either way, I am not stepping down. I am not handing the most powerful position in this country to Arana. If that means your soldiers end up having to come drag me out of this office in a month, General, so be it. But I hope you can live with that decision, and what it may mean to Milintica's future."
---
Tecpancalli Tonaltzintli
Chuaztlapoc, Huenya
September 3rd
President Xiadani steepled her fingers as she looked at her Cabinet. "This is obviously an unacceptable outcome. Options?"
Secretary of State Huitzilhuani went first. "Our election observers are still in Milintica, and trying to determine if Arana did actually win the election. But their electoral committee is refusing to cooperate with the observers. Their Chairman, Hauraki, has barred us from all PEC offices. The MCP is likewise refusing us access to their offices."
"I do believe I said that any hindering of our observers would merit a response," Xiadani said coolly. "Send a letter to the Electoral Committee and to the MCP headquarters as well. Inform them that the Huenyan Federation, which is still currently an ally of Milintica, requests cooperation in our observations. If that cooperation is not forthcoming, make sure they are aware that we reserve the right to investigate this election by any means necessary, whether or not they cooperate."
Xiadani turned to the Secretaries of Trade and Defense next. "Inform all relevant Milintican parties that any trade and defense cooperation between Milintica and Huenya is contingent on the Milintican state remaining in the UCS, and also contingent on existing agreements between our states being honored regardless of who is President or what party is running their country. If those expectations are not met, make sure they are fully aware that Huenya will no longer feel bound to fulfill our commitments to Milintica. Especially the commitment that we would defend Milintica if someone like, say, Calhualyana decides to make Milintica her summer home."
The President then turned to Huenya's High General. "I assume you are already formulating plans for a more...robust response should one be needed."
Texōccoatl grinned at her statement. "Oh, yeah. I would not put it past Arana, if she does take power, to take her anger at us for not supporting her out on any Huenyans who may be still in Milintica once the transition occurs. If she does go there, our soldiers will be ready to respond. It would probably be wise to update our current travel advisory to discourage travel to Milintica and encourage any Huenyan nationals there to come home," he added to Huitzilhuani, who nodded. Texōccoatl looked over at Trade Secretary Yaochtzin. "If Arana tries anything typically communist like seizing or nationalizing Huenyan assets or property in Milintica, we'll be ready to deal with that as well."
"We will need to have a chat with the Eirians before doing anything too forceful," Xiadani said after a moment. "If Milintica does leave the UCS, our two countries will be all that's left. We also really need to see if Manabí Rive wants to revive their bid for UCS membership, and to hell with the Empire if it bothers them." The President tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair. "I really don't want to have to become hostile towards the Milinticans. The descendants of Huenyans there are our kin, after all. And the Paora surely didn't ask for this either. But if Arana does manage to become president there....nothing is off the table."
---
Palace of Flowers
Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera
September 3rd
After the results of the Milintican elections were announced, Empress Calhualyana was having a leisurely meeting with her Prime Minister and the director of Imperial Intelligence in her favorite gardens. "Our operations to influence the Milintican elections appear to have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams," Director Telchiuhtli said. "I thought it would be tougher to get someone as unlikeable and nutty as Neina Arana elected. But the hardcore wing of the MPP was already primed to switch allegiances to the MCP once Matōchmizalo went with his reforms. Arana and her supporters proved very suggestible in the end."
"It is always pleasant to bring disruption and chaos to our enemies," the Empress replied as she sipped a glass of tepiātl. "Matōchmizalo won't concede. Arana will probably use force to get him out. The MPP and MCP will remain at each others' throats. And Arana is highly likely to continue to be suggestible, and blunder herself into a perfect casus belli for us to end the pesky annoyance that is Milintica once and for all. I so love useful idiots. Whether you're an intelligence agent or an Empress, they do make your job easier," Calhualyana mused, earning a laugh from Telchiuhtli.
"When Arana pulls the trigger over Chenalco, I think I'll build some nice condos on the beach in Huānoch once we take over," Prime Minister Toquihu grinned. "The Milinticans never figured out how to make their little islands turn a profit. A Xiomeran is the ideal person to show them how it's done."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," the Empress chided gently. "We need to make sure Arana gets installed as president first and that Matōchmizalo doesn't find some way to keep her from taking power. We also need to keep the temperature up between the MCP and MPP. Some deepfakes on social media about horrible things that the MPP and MCP are doing to each other's activists should keep the pot stirred nicely. Along with our ongoing 'helpful information' about the election being 'stolen', of course."
Telchiuhtli nodded, sipping his own glass. "Imperial Intelligence is more than capable of keeping things hot in Milintica. We'll even enjoy it."
The three of them clinked their glasses, enjoying the Xiomeran sun.
Peoples' Electoral Commission headquarters
Huānoch, Milintica
September 2nd
Wera Hauraki, Chairman of the Peoples' Electoral Committee, smiled to himself as the cameras shut off. He had just made the announcement to the nation that Neina Arana had won the Milintican presidential elections.
The camera crew from Milintican Peoples' Broadcasting soon finished taking down their equipment and left the Chairman's office, leaving Hauraki alone with his thoughts. The Chairman paused for a moment, then took a small badge from his pocket. He looked at its surface, the lights of his office making the badge shine brightly. The golden star with the rifle, sword and farm tool inlaid into it, surrounded by ruby red, had been his cap badge from his time, decades ago, in the Peoples' Army. It had been the symbol on the Milintican flag for over 90 years, before President Matōchmizalo had changed the national flag and symbols.
Hauraki rather liked the old symbols better.
He smiled once more, before returning the badge to his pocket.
---
Haven House
Huānoch, Milintica
September 2nd
President Matōchmizalo slammed his fist onto his office desk. More than one person in the room flinched at the sound. "How did this happen?" The President shook his head angrily. "Just a few weeks ago, we had a ten point lead in the polls. None of this makes sense. Someone explain to me how Neina-fucking-Arana just won this election!"
Wiremu Witika, the President's campaign manager, grimaced. "She didn't. She couldn't have. I don't understand these results either. They must be rigged. There is no other explanation. We were winning just days ago."
Prime Minister Tupai Tapihana sighed. "That's a very serious charge. We can't accuse Arana or the MCP of rigging this election without evidence."
"But it would have been all too easy to fudge the numbers," Witika stubbornly insisted. "Only 22,843 votes put Arana on top. That's a small enough number to arrange."
"If we do manage to get this result overturned, the first thing we need to do is destroy the Greens and the Progressives." Huia Tahiwi, the First Lady, snapped. "If either of their candidates had just dropped out and endorsed Matōchmizalo as we asked, this election would have been sealed for us."
"That is definitely a plan for later," Matōchmizalo said grimly. "But for now, we need to figure out how to head this madness off." He turned to Hakiri Maurea, Milintica's Attorney General. "I need you to get with Wiremu and our legal team to figure out exactly how to play this with the Supreme Tribunal. Get the NDIP and the National Police on this too. If there is even a shred of proof that Arana rigged this, I want it found yesterday."
"Even if they don't find proof, just make some up!" Witika gesticulated wildly. Tapihana glared at the campaign manager, his brow furrowed. "I will not participate in any trickery like that!"
"Damnit, Tupai, now is not the time to play nice!" Tahiwi pointed her finger at Tapihana. "We cannot let Arana become President! She will destroy this country! Now is the time to do whatever it takes to keep her from ever sitting in this office! Put a bullet in her brain if we have to, even. But she cannot take power. She simply cannot."
Tapihana's face reddened as he stood up. "You are crossing a line, madam First Lady. Do you want to become what you hate most?"
"Sit down, Tupai. Please," Matōchmizalo said. Tapihana sat down after a moment of hesitation, still glaring at Witika and Tahiwi.
"We don't need to ponder such dramatic solutions...just yet, anyway. But we do need to keep Neina from taking power. She will destroy Milintica, truly. But we can prevent that." The President turned to the one person in the room who hadn't yet spoken.
Teuitzi, the Supreme General of the Peoples' Army, sighed. "You're not seriously asking me to launch a coup on your behalf, are you, sir?"
"It would not be a coup. Neina Arana is not President right now. I am." Matōchmizalo looked at Teuitzi expectantly. "You swore an oath to protect Milintica from any enemies, including domestic ones. Neina Arana is a domestic enemy of this state. Will you do your job?"
"It is not my job to overturn an election. Nor is it the role of the Peoples' Army to do so. Your order to do so, if given, would be an illegal order and I would be honor bound to refuse it," Teuitzi replied firmly.
"Then resign! Either that, or we discharge you and find someone who will!" Tahiwi glared daggers at the General, who returned the glare blandly. "If you believe any of the officers below me would go along with that, madam First Lady, or that the soldiers under their command would obey, you are welcome to try."
"Enough, enough," Matōchmizalo said wearily. "It would appear that the only option, then, is to rely on the case that we present to the Supreme Tribunal and hope that it succeeds. But either way, I am not stepping down. I am not handing the most powerful position in this country to Arana. If that means your soldiers end up having to come drag me out of this office in a month, General, so be it. But I hope you can live with that decision, and what it may mean to Milintica's future."
---
Tecpancalli Tonaltzintli
Chuaztlapoc, Huenya
September 3rd
President Xiadani steepled her fingers as she looked at her Cabinet. "This is obviously an unacceptable outcome. Options?"
Secretary of State Huitzilhuani went first. "Our election observers are still in Milintica, and trying to determine if Arana did actually win the election. But their electoral committee is refusing to cooperate with the observers. Their Chairman, Hauraki, has barred us from all PEC offices. The MCP is likewise refusing us access to their offices."
"I do believe I said that any hindering of our observers would merit a response," Xiadani said coolly. "Send a letter to the Electoral Committee and to the MCP headquarters as well. Inform them that the Huenyan Federation, which is still currently an ally of Milintica, requests cooperation in our observations. If that cooperation is not forthcoming, make sure they are aware that we reserve the right to investigate this election by any means necessary, whether or not they cooperate."
Xiadani turned to the Secretaries of Trade and Defense next. "Inform all relevant Milintican parties that any trade and defense cooperation between Milintica and Huenya is contingent on the Milintican state remaining in the UCS, and also contingent on existing agreements between our states being honored regardless of who is President or what party is running their country. If those expectations are not met, make sure they are fully aware that Huenya will no longer feel bound to fulfill our commitments to Milintica. Especially the commitment that we would defend Milintica if someone like, say, Calhualyana decides to make Milintica her summer home."
The President then turned to Huenya's High General. "I assume you are already formulating plans for a more...robust response should one be needed."
Texōccoatl grinned at her statement. "Oh, yeah. I would not put it past Arana, if she does take power, to take her anger at us for not supporting her out on any Huenyans who may be still in Milintica once the transition occurs. If she does go there, our soldiers will be ready to respond. It would probably be wise to update our current travel advisory to discourage travel to Milintica and encourage any Huenyan nationals there to come home," he added to Huitzilhuani, who nodded. Texōccoatl looked over at Trade Secretary Yaochtzin. "If Arana tries anything typically communist like seizing or nationalizing Huenyan assets or property in Milintica, we'll be ready to deal with that as well."
"We will need to have a chat with the Eirians before doing anything too forceful," Xiadani said after a moment. "If Milintica does leave the UCS, our two countries will be all that's left. We also really need to see if Manabí Rive wants to revive their bid for UCS membership, and to hell with the Empire if it bothers them." The President tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair. "I really don't want to have to become hostile towards the Milinticans. The descendants of Huenyans there are our kin, after all. And the Paora surely didn't ask for this either. But if Arana does manage to become president there....nothing is off the table."
---
Palace of Flowers
Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera
September 3rd
After the results of the Milintican elections were announced, Empress Calhualyana was having a leisurely meeting with her Prime Minister and the director of Imperial Intelligence in her favorite gardens. "Our operations to influence the Milintican elections appear to have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams," Director Telchiuhtli said. "I thought it would be tougher to get someone as unlikeable and nutty as Neina Arana elected. But the hardcore wing of the MPP was already primed to switch allegiances to the MCP once Matōchmizalo went with his reforms. Arana and her supporters proved very suggestible in the end."
"It is always pleasant to bring disruption and chaos to our enemies," the Empress replied as she sipped a glass of tepiātl. "Matōchmizalo won't concede. Arana will probably use force to get him out. The MPP and MCP will remain at each others' throats. And Arana is highly likely to continue to be suggestible, and blunder herself into a perfect casus belli for us to end the pesky annoyance that is Milintica once and for all. I so love useful idiots. Whether you're an intelligence agent or an Empress, they do make your job easier," Calhualyana mused, earning a laugh from Telchiuhtli.
"When Arana pulls the trigger over Chenalco, I think I'll build some nice condos on the beach in Huānoch once we take over," Prime Minister Toquihu grinned. "The Milinticans never figured out how to make their little islands turn a profit. A Xiomeran is the ideal person to show them how it's done."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," the Empress chided gently. "We need to make sure Arana gets installed as president first and that Matōchmizalo doesn't find some way to keep her from taking power. We also need to keep the temperature up between the MCP and MPP. Some deepfakes on social media about horrible things that the MPP and MCP are doing to each other's activists should keep the pot stirred nicely. Along with our ongoing 'helpful information' about the election being 'stolen', of course."
Telchiuhtli nodded, sipping his own glass. "Imperial Intelligence is more than capable of keeping things hot in Milintica. We'll even enjoy it."
The three of them clinked their glasses, enjoying the Xiomeran sun.
<t></t>