[Xiomera]

(Note: These events take place after the 2024 Milintican election).

Tecpancalli Tonaltzintli
Chuaztlapoc, Huenya

President Xiadani was very displeased with Neina Arana.

The leader of Huenya was certainly not unique in that regard. Arana had only been President of Milintica for six days, but millions of Milinticans (MPP backers, mostly) were already very annoyed with the country's new leader. Arana hadn't been doing much to endear herself to leaders in other countries, either. But Huenya had two bones to pick in particular with the new Milintican administration.

The first one involved dozens of Huenyans working for the State Department who had unceremoniously been placed on planes out of the country on October 5th. The Milintican government had not been kidding when they had said election observers would no longer be welcome in the country once the new administration took over. Xiadani did not yet know if election observers from other countries had been forced to leave as well, but she had little doubt she would be receiving aggrieved messages soon enough on that matter.

The fact that Huenyan citizens had been bundled onto planes like luggage and shipped back home without even a heads up to the Huenyan government was actually the second strike, as far as Xiadani was concerned. The first strike had been when two Huenyan officials had been arrested by local police in the town of Aropaonui. Unlike the other Huenyan observers, those two were still in Milintica, in a jail cell. Xiadani was very displeased about that in particular.

It was with that displeasure in mind that Xiadani asked her assistant to place a phone call to Huānoch. Xiadani believed that a conversation between presidents was long overdue.

Xiadani waited for the call to go through. And waited. And waited.

Eventually, her assistant, Moquihui, came back on the line with an apologetic tone to his voice. "Sorry, Madam President, but Haven House has declined to accept your call."

"Declined." Xiadani said the word as if Moquihui had just dropped jaguar dung onto her desk.

Moquihui sighed. "Arana's office said they are too busy with launching her administration to speak with us at this time. To, erm, call back later."

After a very long silence, Xiadani sighed. "I see. Thank you. Could you start another call for me please?" Like most Huenyans, Xiadani was a big baseball fan. She thought of the matter in baseball terms. Strike three, Neina. You're out.

The next group of people Moquihui called would prove to be far more receptive to Xiadani's call. When High General Texōccoatl, Defense Secretary Tlanexchel, and FIS director Cuetlancaona were looped into the video call, Xiadani started the conversation directly. "Something has to be done to put Neina Arana in her proper place."

---

Two hours later, General Huatli of the Huenyan Army sat in a conference room, slightly perplexed.

The General (of former Aurora and civil war fame) had been summoned to Camp Tlalmanang, the headquarters of the Huenyan Special Forces, to meet with Defense Secretary Tlanexchel and High General Texōccoatl. When the other two walked in the room and sat down, Tlanexchel got right to the point. "We are reassigning you. While you've done an excellent job commanding the 34th Army Brigade, we think your talents would suit you to a new role. And a new mission."

Huatli nodded, a skeptical but interested expression crossing her face. "What is the new role?" Texōccoatl presented Huatli with a folder. "Effective immediately, you are to take command of the 1st Chuaztlapoc FSF Brigade."

Huatli gave the two men a look. "You're placing me in charge of a special forces brigade? I'm not part of the special forces." Tlanexchel and Texōccoatl both chuckled. "Given your skill set, we think you're more than qualified. More importantly, they think you're qualified. Their opinion trumps even our own, when it counts."

When Texōccoatl said they, Huatli knew who he meant. The Shorn Ones. The Eagle Warriors. The Jaguar Warriors. They weren't the sort of men and women to take anyone but the best to lead them. "They saw how you sprang into action to help defend Chuaztlapoc during the insurgency. Needless to say, you impressed quite a few of them. So, they want you over there. But you also have to want the job," Texōccoatl said.

Huatli gave Texōccoatl a firm nod. "I don't turn down a mission. Especially one like this."

"Good. We met with you here at Camp Tlalmanang so you could get started with your new brigade immediately," Tlanexchel said. Huatli nodded again. "That would be the new mission to go with the new role, I take it?"

Texōccoatl smirked. "Indeed it is. Tell your men and women to get ready, General. Some of them are going to be paying Milintica a little visit."

[Xiomera]

International waters near Sunemia
October 10th

The Nahualli bobbed gently in the calm waters of the Gulf of Yukoni. The ship was, normally, a cargo ship that ran a trade route between Huenya and various ports around southern Caxcana. But today, it was carrying a different sort of cargo than its usual fare.

Staff Sergeant Xipil, commander of the 3rd Squad "Iztlacmitl" of the Huenyan Special Forces, nodded as he looked at the video screen. The rest of his squad, four Jaguar Warriors and five Eagle Warriors, also watched in silence as General Huatli continued. "Our intelligence indicates that the local police at Aropaonui are the only ones still guarding the two hostages. There are about ten National Police at a garrison in Aroha, ten miles away. And there are about fifty PDRM Army soldiers based at a small checkpoint in Kahurangi, about fifteen miles away. They have some jeeps and one armored vehicle, nothing too crazy. The nearest major forces are about thirty miles away, in Roimata."

Xipil wordlessly highlighted the positions Huatli was mentioning on a nearby tablet, which displayed a map of northern Milintica. "You will be landing about two miles east of Aropaonui, at the position labeled Tamati Point on your map. You are to land at 2 am Milintican time, which should catch any locals sleeping. You are to proceed overland to Aropaonui." Xipil swiped right on the tablet, and a map of Aropaonui appeared. "Once in Aropaonui, proceed along the back road called Petera Street to the rear of the police station. Intelligence indicates there should only be one policeman outside at the rear entrance. Once you disarm and disable that guard, you are to enter the building and proceed inside. We do not have a reliable blueprint for the inside of the police station, but it is a small structure. It should not take long to search. While the Jaguar Warriors enter the building, the Eagle Warriors are to proceed around the front and take down the single guard that should be present up front. We believe there should only be two or three officers inside the building itself, and they're just local cops, so they won't be a challenge." Huatli paused. "If you move quickly and avoid any complications, this should be a simple and quick extraction. Once you secure the station and find the hostages, the goal is to get out of Aropaonui as quickly as possible. Use a police vehicle to drive back to Tamati Point following the road labeled Āwhina Street. Get back to the Nahualli and get back out into the Gulf as far away from Milintica as possible, as quickly as possible. Avoid the Milintican Navy at all costs. They're not much of a navy, but the Nahualli isn't a warship, so not getting detected is best." Xipil nodded, laying down the tablet. "We'll get it done, General," he said.

"I know you will. Also, if at all possible, don't kill anyone. We're not trying to start a war with the Milinticans, we're just trying to free our people. This operation is going to blow up Neina Arana's tiny little brain as it is, so let's try to make it as painless and bloodless as possible." Xipil nodded his agreement, and after an exchange of salutes, the video call winked out.

Xipil stood up, and the rest of the squad followed. They didn't need to exchange a lot of words. The drill of preparation was well rehearsed to them.

---

As 2 am approached, Xipil gathered the squad together. "This is the first time Huenya has attempted any kind of military operation outside our borders. Well, except for the operations we send inside Xiomera to annoy the XCP pricks," he grinned, earning chuckles from his team. "But being serious, we cannot afford to fail this mission. It would be a tremendous embarrassment to Huenya for us to fail. More importantly, though, it would leave two of our people prisoner of these communist jackasses. We aren't going to let that happen, are we?"

The Huenyan operators shook their heads, expressions fierce. "Good. Let's get out there then," Xipil said.

Moving with speed and precision, the crew of the Nahualli brought an inflatable boat to the deck. They quickly attached it to a lifting bail, and the 3rd Squad scrambled on board. The ship's crew silently lowered the boat to the water, and once it landed with a soft splash, Xipil unhooked the boat from the Nahualli. The boat sped towards the nearby Milintican mainland. When it hit the beach, the squad silently disembarked and began marching towards Aropaonui.

When the squad arrived, the streets of Aropaonui were silent and deserted. The small village wasn't typically a hotbed of late night activity, making this the perfect time for the Huenyans to arrive. They quickly moved to the police station near the center of town, keeping to Petera Street, a small and mostly dark back road. At the police station, Xipil used hand gestures to order his squad to halt. As FIS had reported, a single policeman was keeping guard at the back of the station. "Keeping guard" was not a precise description, though, as the man appeared to be asleep. Xipil made several more hand gestures, and his squad split into two halves. The Jaguar Warriors, Xipil at their lead, moved to the back. As they arrived at the door, the Aropaonui policeman woke up with a start. Before he could even speak, though, Xipil lunged forward and knocked him out with a very efficient uppercut. Xipil searched the man for keys, then cursed when he couldn't find any. Ahuic, his second in command, wordlessly stepped forward and pulled gently at the door. The Aropaonui cop hadn't even bothered to lock the door behind him, and it silently swung open. Xipil rolled his eyes, and the five moved inside.

Meanwhile, at the front of the police station, the five Eagle Warriors snuck up behind the policeman guarding the door. He was not asleep, but given his total lack of perception, he might as well have been. His first realization that he was not alone came when he felt a hand on his shoulder. One of the Eagle Warriors swung him around, and another knocked him out with a quick application of a rifle butt to the face.

Inside the police station, the five Jaguar Warriors quickly discovered that the tiny police station was as easy to navigate as Huenyan intelligence had predicted. Two more police officers had been inside. Neither of them would prove to be any more observant or exceptional than their now-snoring colleagues outside.

Once the police station was fully secure, Xipil found a staircase leading downstairs. A jailer was watching the cells downstairs, but upon seeing five fully armed Huenyan special forces operators appear in front of him, simply smiled and put his hands in the air. Xipil gave the jailer a nod, and finally found the elusive set of keys he had wanted in the jailer's possession. In the cells, Itopan and Nelpan stood up hopefully. "Xipil, Federation Special Forces," the Jaguar Warrior said as he unlocked the cell doors. Itopan and Nelpan stepped out and began to offer their thanks, but Xipil cut them off. "Not to be rude, but you can thank us later if we succeed. We need to move. Make absolutely no noise and try to keep up with us." The two Huenyan diplomats nodded, grasping the seriousness of the situation.

The Huenyans, Xipil in the lead, went back outside at the rear entrance. The other Huenyan operators, at a signal from Xipil, ran back to the rear entrance. The group began piling into an Aropaonui Police van that was also, thankfully, left unlocked. Xipil jumped into the driver's seat. He once again briefly lamented the lack of needed keys, before sighing and smashing the steering column open with his baton. With a few deft maneuvers, he engaged the starter and the van coughed to life. "Hold on," Xipil shouted to everyone as the van lurched down the back roads of Aropaonui.

The ride back to Tamati Point and their waiting boat was undertaken quickly, the sound of rushing air as the van sped down the dark roads of rural Paora territory the only noise made. The police van eventually arrived at the beach, lurching sharply over the sand before shuddering to a halt at the boat. "Out, quickly," Xipil snapped and everyone began to pour out of various doors. The Huenyan operators and the two diplomats climbed into the boat. "Hold on tight. These boats don't usually carry extra passengers, and we don't have time to go back for anyone who falls off," Xipil warned the diplomats. Itopan and Nelpan silently nodded, as two of the Eagle Warriors pushed the boat back into the water. Once it was afloat, the Eagle Warriors jumped back in, and Xipil began guiding the boat towards the open water.

Twenty minutes later, at the Tecpancalli Tonaltzintli, President Xiadani waited nervously for video to resume. Defense Secretary Tlanexchel, High General Texōccoatl, FIS Director Cuetlancaona and General Huatli were also seated around the table with the President. The video feed finally came to life, and Xipil nodded. "The operation was completed successfully. We have both hostages safe and there were no casualties. The Milinticans don't seem to have noticed yet, even," Xipil said with a shrug. "We seem to have evaded their navy as well. But we are getting to international waters as quickly as we can. Once the Milinticans find out their prisoners are gone, they may well decide to intercept any Huenyan ship in their waters. I recommend we send a bulletin out to all of our merchant ships in the area to avoid Milintican waters for the time being."

The President nodded. "Good advice. And good work, Sergeant. Get back home safe." As the video ended, Xiadani stood up and sighed. "In a few hours, I predict that a certain Milintican president is going to want to talk to me far more eagerly than she did a few days ago. I suppose I should get to my desk and prepare for that." The looks on the faces of the others at the conference table clearly indicated they were all glad they didn't have to have that conversation.

Three hours later, as Xiadani had predicted, her assistant Moquihui popped his head inside her door. "Madam President, Neina Arana is calling, demanding to speak with you at once. She sounds, um, agitated."

The petty side of Xiadani briefly pondered refusing Arana's call, just as Arana had refused her call previously. Xiadani really, really wanted to do it. But she wasn't a child, she was President of Huenya. So, after a very long sigh, Xiadani nodded to Moquihui. "Go ahead and put her through."

As the video feed came to life, Xiadani pondered Neina Arana's face as it appeared on her screen. She looked sour. But really, she always looked sour, Xiadani mused. Xiadani adopted her brightest smile in response, indulging pettiness to just that extent. "Good morning, President Arana. What can I do for you?"

"How dare you!" Arana shouted, clearly not in the mood for pleasantries. "The two Huenyans who were being held in Aropaonui. You broke them out of jail. You assaulted multiple local police. Admit it!" Before Xiadani could respond, Arana continued to shout. "You dare to claim you are our friends and allies with one hand, but interfere with our elections and violate our sovereignty with the other? You take sides in our political process and violate our legal system? You won't get away with this, Xiadani. I demand you return the two Huenyans you broke out of jail, and I demand a public apology from you for violating our sovereignty and harming our police. If you don't, I swear Milintica will be done with the UCS and done with Huenya. I will cut off all diplomatic and trade ties with you and throw all your damned agents out of Milintica. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Xiadani's already limited patience with Neina Arana finally snapped for good. "What do I have to say? Blow it out of your rear end. That's what I have to say to you." Arana's face turned beet red, but before she could wind herself up for another round of shouting, Xiadani beat her to it. "You took two of our diplomats hostage, in violation of everything the UCS stands for, not to mention both international law and basic human decency. You're surprised that we responded? You're shocked that we didn't just leave our people behind to rot in your jails? Are you truly that dense? You think Milintica has the right to be angry here? Huenya had, and has, the real grievance here. And we had every right to bring our people home, whether you like it or not. Make whatever threats you want. You're a toothless leader of an inept and incompetent state, and you're no threat to Huenya. You're only a threat to your own people, with your massive ego and your insane ideology. Go ahead and pull out of the UCS if you want. We have the Manabí now, we don't need you. And if you think Huenya is going to just wait around while you try to wreck Caxcanan unity, you're very wrong. I doubt the Manabí or the Eirians will be interested in your attempts to use the UCS as some kind of bargaining chip to get your way either."

Xiadani continued implacably in the face of Arana's clear fury. "If you want to destroy your own country, that's on you. But Huenya won't let you hold the UCS over us as some kind of hostage. I mean, I know you like to take things hostage, but it didn't work with our diplomats, and it won't work with politics either. Huenya won't let you threaten our people either. Diplomats, officials, just citizens, whatever. If you put Huenyans at risk again, I will respond. And you will not like the response."

"You don't scare me, Xiadani. Huenya is the real toothless state here. How much more land have you lost to the Xiomerans today?" Arana sneered. Xiadani sighed. "We haven't lost anything to Xiomera in a year now, and you know it. As for that, though, do you really put yourself on the same level as Xiomera? Seriously? It sure seems like it, since you keep poking that particular bear. But here's some advice, Neina, and you really should take it. Just because Wosteaque handed you a bunch of shiny new hardware doesn't make you dangerous. Your military is still, well, your military. Handing them a bunch of shiny new weapons is like handing a two year old the keys to a car and expecting them to drive. Huenya is no superpower, you're right. But you're still Milintica. We can take you, if we have to. And, if you keep going the way you're going, I don't even think we would have a hard time finding help with that."

Before Arana could respond, Xiadani cut her off again. "The ease with which we got into Milintica and freed our people should give you pause. But knowing you, it probably won't. Honestly, part of me hopes that you give me another excuse." With a sharp jab of her finger, Xiadani cut off the call.

Back in Huānoch, Arana glared at her video screen, then stood up and called out to her assistant. "Get MNT studios on the line. I will be making an official statement to be broadcast in three hours."

[Democratic Republic Of Eiria]

Outside Lumiere, Auria

Dassault Manor, the former home of an extant branch of the royal family and one of Auria's recently rebuilt landmarks, was abuzz. Domestic staff hurried quickly through the halls, prepping the estate for the incoming arrival of UCS dignitaries in what possibly could be the most important summit since the Union's founding. It was not to be the most glamorous summit in history, as the staff had not had time to arrange for certain luxuries, but for the short notice that was given, it was certainly nothing to scoff at.

Prime Minister Jaques Arquette, along with his Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Treasury, and UCS Affairs stood just inside the Manor's foyer. A number of staff and other diplomats hovered around them, trying to prepare for any possible scenario that they could before the dignitaries arrived (a task that was sure to prove futile, Arquette was sure).

By virtue of geographic proximity, the Eirians arrived first. A contingent of Solar Guards preceded Chancellor Leah Stendē and her primary advisors, Charles Danton, Kaleb Zevē, and Renata Kalina as they walked through the door. Stendē gave a courteous bow to the Prime Minister as he went up to greet her.

"Kurena Chancellor. It is an honor once again. Welcome to Auria."

"The honor is mine, Prime Minister. We are always glad to visit our siblings across the Strait. Although, I wish it was under better circumstances..." She said with a morbidly amused glance towards the door.

The Huenyan delegation was next to arrive. President Xiadani was at the head of the group. The Huenyan Secretary of State Huitzilhuani, Secretary of Trade Yaochtzin and Secretary of Defense Tlanexchel accompanied her. Their Shorn Ones and FIS security detail followed them at a discreet distance. "Chancellor Stendē, it is good to see you as always. Prime Minister Arquette, thank you for hosting us all under such challenging circumstances."

"Of course, Madam President. Auria is always willing to do what it can to help its friends, especially the friends who helped it so recently." Arquette had his best respectful smile on, disguising his true feelings behind a diplomatic façade.

The last group to arrive before the 'guests of honor' were the delegation from Manabí Rive. Sapa Tanqui was accompanied by a single guard and no other officials. He gave a polite bow to the other officials. "Greetings to you all. Prime Minister, we are honored to be in Auria representing our people for the UCS."

"And we are pleased to welcome you into the fold. I predict a warm and constructive future with Manabí Rive in the UCS. We truly are stronger together." While Arquette's platitudes were genuine on some level, he had to force himself to say them. Members of the staff began to escort some of the delegates into the main hall as the hosts stayed behind, waiting for the final (and most problematic) delegation.

After making the other delegations wait for a deliberately long time, the Milinticans finally arrived. Neina Arana was escorted by her Minister of State Amiri Nopera, her Minister of Trade Huachilotl, and her Minister of Decolonization and Depatriarchalization Ngaire Tipene. Four Peoples' Army soldiers escorted them. Arana gave a tight smile as she approached the other leaders. "Chancellor Stendē, Sapa Tanqui, President Xiadani," Arana said in a tone that was polite but hardly warm. "Prime Minister Arquette. Thank you for asking us to be here."

"Of course, Madam President. It's no trouble at all to host our neighbors." Arquette gave a nod, before looking at his fellow heads of government and gesturing towards the main hall. "Well, shall we get this summit underway? The press is going to be disappointed to miss our talks, but I did not want any chatter disturbing these discussions."

"That is wise. The less seen and heard from them, the better," Arana said with a snort as she walked towards the main hall. Xiadani couldn't help herself; her eyebrows rose practically to her hairline at Arana's dismissal of the press. She quickly composed her expression, though, and followed Arana, Stendē and Tanqui into the main hall.

Inside the hall, a series of tables had been laid out in a sort of circle, with chairs at the tables for leaders and more behind them for aides and staffers. Each chair was labeled with a name tag to avoid any confusion (or further diplomatic incidents).

Arquette gestured for everyone to sit as he remained standing and cleared his throat. "Welcome, all of you, to the Dassault Summit. I have called you here today to discuss the current state of our Union and the future of its individual members, as it is prudent that we all be here to discuss events that would affect us all." The Aurian Prime Minister made sure his gaze was not stuck on any particular part of the room, projecting an image of a rational mediator.

"Thank you, Prime Minister. Speaking on behalf of Huenya, I can say that we are ready to do whatever we can to ensure that the UCS remains strong and united, as we are better off together than alone." Xiadani also did her best to avoid looking specifically at Arana as she spoke, although Milintica was clearly the reason for the summit.

Tanqui, for his part, stared at a neutral point midway between the wall and floor. "We feel the same way. I am sure that whatever differences we may have, we can resolve them to everyone's satisfaction and maintain this Union which protects and benefits us all."

Stendē, with her prosecutorial background, was a bit less inclined to pointedly ignore Arana, however she did temper her gaze the best that she could. "Of course. We are, after all, a union of siblings and neighbors. No matter what unique circumstances the geopolitical landscape may throw at us, we can overcome it. Either way, this is a unique point for the UCS, both politically and legally. I have a feeling that the precedent set at this summit will set a tone for the next era of Caxcanan unity, one way or the other."

Arana gave a short nod in response, unsmiling. "Indeed it will. And a significant part of that will involve how certain matters are resolved. I came here willing to talk, and listen, and I hope everyone here is willing to do the same." Arana gave Xiadani a brief look, causing the Huenyan leader to stiffen in annoyance, before continuing. "I have already committed Milintica to leaving the UCS, but that decision could yet be reversed if certain commitments were made to Milintica in order to justify a reversal of course to the Milintican people."

"It seems that the decision would only have to be justified to a certain segment of the Milintican people, given the protests taking place there in favor of the UCS," Xiadani interrupted in a cloying tone. A sharp smile played across Xiadani's lips as she said this.

Arana gave her own tight smile again in response. "A minor insurgency hardly connotes majority opposition to a government or its decisions. One wouldn't label the ethnic Xiomeran nationalists in Huenya as somehow representing the people or confirming that the government there is making bad decisions, for example."

Xiadani's expression sharpened even more at Arana's not-casual, casual offhand remark. Before things could go further down that road, Tanqui coughed gently. "Perhaps our good hosts could provide us with their suggestions as to how we should proceed." He gave Arquette a look that was outwardly polite but hiding a cross between an internal scream and a plea.

Arquette shared a similar look of hidden distress as he nodded back at Sapa Tanqui. "Of course. First off, as the withdrawal from the UCS is no light matter, I would like to ask President Arana to clarify the nature of the commitments that her government would like to see put in place in order for this sudden withdrawal to be reversed. After all, this union exists to serve all of its members, and as such, we are obligated to hear the concerns of individual member states." The Aurian leader looked over to the Milintican delegation, respectfully ceding the floor.

Arana smiled at Arquette. "Thank you, Prime Minister. Your respect is appreciated. There are certain things that, if provided, could make it far easier to justify remaining in the UCS. As you all know, the other UCS countries, being capitalist, are considerably wealthier in purely financial terms. As such, we feel that it would be fair for the other UCS countries to adopt the spirit embodied by 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs'. Milintica should be allowed to waive any contributions or expenditures to the UCS for its operations for the near term. In addition, Milintica should receive substantially more aid than it currently receives from the UCS. An aid package of $150 billion is what we are proposing."

Into the silence at that remark, Arana continued. "Milintica, being a socialist state, also would like to see the other UCS countries give socialist and communist leaders their fair chance at leadership. Reassigning a set number of Cabinet posts, ministries or higher government roles to socialist leaders would satisfy us."

Xiadani sputtered at that demand, hastily converting it into a cough in an attempt to avoid an outburst. Arana made a sympathetic noise. "I do hope you're not coming down with something!"

Before Xiadani could recover enough to direct a verbal tirade at Arana, Chancellor Stendē spoke up. "Thank you very much for your... concerns, President Arana." Her tone was steady, showing little emotion. "First off, while ideological diversity is a key part of this region, democratic systems are even more sacrosanct. Setting a quota of leaders of a certain ideology would undermine the choices of the citizenry, especially if those quotas are favorable to one particular ideology. As such, the only way that such quotas could even be considered is if Milintica commits to varying its own cabinet as well."

"Furthermore, I do particularly sympathize with the struggles of the Milintican economy, which is why Eiria has committed itself to numerous joint economic ventures with Milintica in the past. While we are willing to help out our neighbors, that exact sum is out of the realm of feasibility to ask of us, I'm afraid. However, we would be amicable to lending monetary and other forms of assistance to certain endeavors, such as infrastructure investment, industry development, or educational programs. Such programs, while being a cost on fellow member states, would also reap the most benefits for everyone involved."

After looking around the room, Stendē turned to face Arana head on. "Would such a compromise be acceptable to you, Madam President?"

”It would not.” Arana’s tone was clipped. “The terms I have outlined are not a starting point for negotiations. They are our expectations. Furthermore, I was not done.” Arana took a bundle of papers out of her briefcase and handed it to one of her guards. The guard delivered it to the Huenyans. “That is an arrest warrant and request for extradition for the two Huenyan spies who were wrongfully extracted from Milintica to evade Milintican justice. Once Huenya agrees to honor the warrant and returns the two spies to our custody, we will be satisfied. There is also a blank piece of paper for President Xiadani, or someone she designates, to write a formal apology for Huenya’s violation of Milintican sovereignty. I have a pen if you need one,” Arana said. She pulled a red pen with the Milintican flag on it out of her jacket pocket. “You can even keep it as a souvenir if you like,” she said as she waved the pen in Xiadani’s direction.

Even Stendē did not attempt to hide her shock at the Milintican leader's gall. "Due respect, President, but the two Huenyans arrested in Aropaonui had diplomatic immunity. If there is anyone who should be extending an apology, it is the Milintican law enforcement officers who violated that immunity." The Eirian head of state adjusted her glasses. "And, if I may resort to realpolitik here, I believe that you know that there is no way we can meet these demands. What does your government have to gain from making these extraordinary demands?"

Arana’s face took on a look of outrage. “It isn’t that you cannot meet our requests,” she said. “It is that you will not, that you do not want to. And I do not appreciate your implications.”

Xiadani had heard enough. “The IDU Film Festival is a ways away, madam President,” she said acidly. “It’s a little early for you to be auditioning for an award just yet.”

Tanqui waved Xiadani down hastily. “President Arana, I am trying to be both reasonable and polite. But this is hardly negotiating in good faith.”

"And my intentions are not to imply anything, Madam President. I simply wish to understand your intentions. Neither steep demands nor the withdrawal from the UCS are things that should be taken lightly." Stendē's tone wasn't quite hostile, but still firm. "I apologize that we are not able to fulfill your demands, but they aren't feasible for anyone involved. And you are an intelligent woman, Madam President, so I would be shocked if you did not know that before making them."

"I would also be shocked," Xiadani said drily. "Making 'requests' that would be completely infeasible for the UCS to meet would simply be an unfortunate misunderstanding, right? If so, surely your 'requests' would be able to be reconsidered, amended, negotiated? If there was nothing to be implied other than a miscommunication, surely things don't have to be set in stone, right, President Arana?"

Arana pointedly ignored Xiadani as she stood from the table. "You all asked what it would take for Milintica to remain in the UCS. I have told you what is required. If this 'Union', for all its wealth and power, finds our requirements so 'infeasible', then you clearly do not see the worth of Milintica and its people. Or, you are trying to devalue us. Either way, I do not see the point in continuing this any longer. I am returning to Milintica. If you reconsider your inflexible position, you may contact us." With a sharp hand gesture to her delegation, Arana stalked out of the hall. The other Milinticans quickly followed.

"Madam President, if you would remain here, we still need to discuss the protocol... And they're gone." Arquette sighed, rubbing his temple in sheer exasperation. "We still needed to discuss the protocol for departures from the union, as this is a novel occurrence." He glanced over his shoulder to one of his aides. "Make sure they don't talk to the press out front. If they do, set the record straight, please."

Stendē's expression was a mixture of humor and cold anger in equal measure. "Well, I do not mean to exclude, but the delegation from Milintica has stepped away from good faith negotiations, and therefore has lost any say in the exact manner of their departure from the UCS. Why don't we iron those details out so they can be immediately implemented upon our returns home?"

Tanqui sighed. “I suppose it was inevitable. We should ensure any UCS staff and assets are relocated out of Milintica immediately if they haven’t already been. I wouldn’t put it past Arana to seize UCS property or accuse them of espionage in the same insane way she accused the Huenyan diplomats.”

Xiadani nodded soberly. “I am half tempted to have us charge Arana‘s government for the cost of winding down their membership, shutting down UCS operations in Milintica and relocating our people. But she wouldn’t pay anyway.”

Stendē shared a similar serious look. "Exactly. In order to minimize losses, we must act fast. As soon as this summit adjourns, all non-essential Eirian diplomatic and military personnel will be ordered to withdraw from the country immediately. We will be reinstating all taxes and tariffs that were in place before the UCS, and depending on if crackdowns on protesters continue, maybe some more for good measure. Additionally, I understand that Minister Danton has a contingency plan for visa fallbacks."

The former LIDUN Secretary-General nodded. "If you all would agree, I would like to create a temporary visa class for any Milintican citizen living in a UCS state who needs to get their affairs in order. In my mind, the visa would be for an initial six month period and extendable for up to eighteen, depending on extenuating circumstances and how long immigration proceedings take in each nation. This should give Milinticans enough time to return home or apply for other visas. This won't help any of our citizens living in Milintica, of course, but hopefully they can see the writing on the wall and get out quickly."

Xiadani nodded. “Such a visa is a good idea. We will also be restoring all taxes and tariffs related to Milintica pre-UCS and considering additional sanctions if Arana continues to tighten her grip back home. We should be cautious though. We want the UCS to present a united front when it comes to Milintica. But we don’t want to give Arana an excuse to claim that any actions we take against her are just retaliation for Milintica leaving the UCS.”

“She will claim that anyway. We must do what we must,” Tanqui said. “We agree to the proposed visa class as well, and will look at further measures to deal with Milintica.”

"Excellent. I'm glad that such a united front can be posed, even if it is because we've lost members as of late." Arquette remarked.

"Indeed. And while we all are here together, I did have another proposition." Stendē leaned forward as she spoke. "Given this time of division, I believe we have an opportunity to bring the Union closer together and present a truly united front. Some joint institutions, policies, that sort of thing. Would that be a reasonable request?"

Xiadani perked up at the mention of joint institutions. “Huenya would definitely be interested. Closer integration could only be of benefit.”

Tanqui seemed more pensive. “We are willing to integrate to a point. Forgive us for being cautious, but that is what being ruled by Xiomera for years will do to you.”

"We understand fully. Which is why many of these institutions would be collaborative in nature. Supranational, but still democratic. For instance, a joint elected assembly on expanded mutual policy. I know that many of these changes would take years of discussions and treaty revisions, but I am just wanting to get the ball rolling." The Chancellor adjusted her glasses, trying to gauge the reactions of her Caxcanan colleagues.

”A joint legislature of sorts sounds like a good starting point. It would give our populations back home more of a feeling that they had a say in how the UCS was run.” Xiadani tapped the table in thought. “A mutual defense council could also be beneficial.”

"Absolutely. Given our present alignment on economic and military policy, joint bodies would be beneficial. The exact capacities of these bodies may be a matter for a whole other discussion, but I would love to move this matter along as soon as possible. Does anyone have any objections?" Stendē let the room ponder for a few moments.

”I have no objections,” Tanqui said after a moment. Xiadani nodded in agreement. “I also have no objections and agree that time is of the essence here. Given what is happening in Milintica and Xiomera’s ongoing aggression, we cannot really afford to delay.”

"Perfect." Prime Minister Arquette stood, rubbing his hands together. "I'm glad we could find this sense of unity again. Now, before we open discussions on the details, shall we adjourn for lunch?"

[Xiomera]

Huānoch, Milintica

January 12th, 2025

Neina Arana and her Cabinet were sitting around the conference table in the Victory Room at Haven House in various states of irritation. The sanctions announced by Huenya were more of an annoyance than the leaders of Milintica liked to admit. Despite only being in power for a short time, Arana and her officials had already grown quite accustomed to a certain lifestyle. The idea that communism should be accompanied by austerity or an ascetic life seemed silly, at least for them. After all, Milintica’s new leaders were working hard every day to advance the cause of revolution, Milintican ideals and the red wave. Given all their hard work and sacrifice for the cause, it was only fair that they receive at least some reward!

Despite all their railing against capitalism, trade with the outside world had provided Arana and her closest circle comforts and benefits. Skimming from the taxes and tariffs such trade provided was also part of the package – a fact which had paid off nicely when the new government had sharply hiked said taxes and tariffs “because capitalist countries could afford it”. Huenya’s sanctions, in and of themselves, were not a huge problem. While Huenya did provide a lot of trade to Milintica, there were definitely wealthier and stronger economies out there. While Huenya did provide goods to Milintica (especially the luxury goods that Arana’s circle saw as a reasonable reward), other countries could provide said goods even easier and better. But if the insufferable President Xiadani succeeded in her crusade to convince other countries to sanction the MCP as well, things could get much more uncomfortable very quickly in Huānoch. It was with that thought in mind that Milintica’s leaders were deciding that if they were to have their lives made difficult, they would return the favor.

Protests against the dissolution of the Representative Assembly and the banning of rival political parties were continuing, but were increasingly fragmented and scattered due to the ongoing crackdown by the security forces. The detention of the top MPP leadership, along with that of the minor parties, was helping the new government keep the opposition disorganized and on the back foot. For now, the security forces and the NDIP were holding firm in their support for the government as well. The recent purge of their leadership had served that cause well.

Neina Arana was feeling more confident every day in her ability to maintain control of Milintica. It was now time to begin pushing for her agenda abroad.

The first project was nearby: Doi Nam. The Doinamese Liberation Army needed help in their fight against President Vuong and the Doinamese military. Milintica’s Popular Freedom Militias, backed by the Red Wave Guards, would soon send emissaries to the DLA. If the DLA proved receptive to Milintican help, Milintica’s infamous guerrillas would soon make their way to northern Doi Nam.

The second project was a little further away: Huenya. The Huenyan Communist Party and its allies in the Huenyan political scene were growing increasingly disgruntled with the dominance of Xiadani and her Unification Party, which was lurching increasingly rightward under her leadership. More to the point, Xiadani was proving to be an annoyingly vocal and active impediment to Arana’s dream of a red wave. It wouldn’t take much to convince the HCP and its allies to begin pushing back more aggressively against the Unification Party and the President. And if Xiadani proved to be too much of a problem, all of her rhetoric and fire wouldn’t protect her from a knife wielded in the shadows.

The last project was a bit further away still: Taragai. The holdouts of the old government under Chaghagan Khoga were quickly collapsing under assaults from both the transitional government and the rebels being backed by Xiomera. But the loss of Taragai would be a big embarrassment to Milintica, and Arana wasn’t prepared to concede that without a fight. With a stroke of her pen, more units of Popular Freedom Militias would try to find a way back into Taragai to bolster Khoga. Milintica’s own military leadership was privately convinced that Taragai was already lost, and that any effort to reverse that was doomed to failure. But none of them wanted to be the one to tell Neina Arana that she was doomed to embarrassment in Taragai no matter what she did. So in another part of the world, Milintican guerrillas would throw themselves into a meat grinder for a cause.

---

Chuaztlapoc, Huenya

At the same time that Huenya and its actions were on the minds of Milintican leaders, those same leaders and their actions were very much on the minds of Huenyan leaders as well.

President Xiadani and her own inner circle were now thoroughly convinced that “President” Arana’s victory was a sham. All of her actions since the election – blocking the election results from being reviewed, arresting opposition leaders, banning rival parties and shutting down the legislature – screamed “thief” in the ears of Xiadani and her circle. As leaders of a country that was a recent and very enthusiastic convert to democracy after six centuries of despotism, that was a big problem for the Huenyans.

Another huge problem for the Huenyans was the ramifications that Milintica’s slide into dictatorship posed for Caxcana. If Arana’s takeover went unchallenged, Huenyan intelligence officials feared that could encourage a domino effect around Caxcana. In a region that already had too many tyrannies, Caxcana simply couldn’t afford any more. As a still emerging and at times fragile democracy, Huenya itself was at risk if tyranny became ascendant again in Caxcana. Huenya’s leaders thus saw Neina Arana as a cancer growing in their midst.

A smaller but still present problem, in the grand scheme of things, was Huenyan pride. Being from a new country still finding its footing, Huenya and its leaders were searching for respect. From everything that had happened since two of their diplomats had been detained, the new Milintican regime had shown Huenya anything but respect. Every approach and action Huenya had taken towards Arana had been treated with contempt and disdain. While this never openly entered the discussions between Huenyan leaders as they decided how to deal with Arana, it was not not a factor.

Two plus two quickly came to equal four, as far as Huenya was concerned. Neina Arana had stolen the Milintican election. Therefore, she was not legitimately Milintica’s President. Her government was also illegitimate as a result, and any action taken against it was thus fully justified.

Huenyan intellligence was fully aware that there was a part of the MPP and other parties in Milintica that was advocating for a more forceful response to Arana’s regime. President Xiadani authorized the FIS to make contact with those activists. If there were people willing to fight for a democratic future in Milintica, Huenya was ready to help them.

And if nothing else, the Huenyans had just raised a brigade of volunteers to go fight in Taragai, only for the transitional government to decline them. That brigade didn’t have to go to Taragai. It could go elsewhere. Possibly somewhere closer to home.