Votes and Arrows (MT, semi-op, TG or OOC)

[New Edom]

"Then in that case," said Governor Carmel, "Thank you all for coming." The meeting began to break up, with the various delegations each going their own way. Princess Fuamnach caught the eye of Princess Nuleztahni, and moved towards an archway leading out to High Prince Findi Lamat's garden, while Augrim and Perrin and their aides immediately headed for the door.

"Do thou," said Augrim to Perrin, "Listen carefully to the rede of Benajah in the days to come. He is wise, though not as thou art, swift and full of fire, but like the desert monitor is swift when needs be and sure when he is swift, and sure when he is slow. Close thou art to the bosom of the Man Touchstone, and thy grasp is greater than thy rank, be mindful then of the responsibilities. First and foremost thou dost answer to God."

"And to my troopers, and to Raith Immel, and so on. But I expect to pass in review at some point before the Throne." said Perrin, with a smile. "As do we all, Sir."

"Amen. And do not over antagonize our Norvenian nor our Shrailleeni friends. Let thy blade be stained but with necessity in this." chided Augrim.

"You speak to me as though to a child, when you know that I'm only rattling their cage a bit," said Perrin, shrugging. "They're soldiers, they should be able to handle themselves. If they underestimate me, more fool then." He paused and waited for Augrim's nod. They each got into their respective Fox 4x4s and drove off towards the base. As they had been preparing to leave, the various delegates were invited to observe the military ceremony the following day for the arrival of the new District Commander and his regiment.

Meanwhile, Nennog walked out and took the hands of refugee, logger and others alike, her eyes full of compassion, her head shaking sorrowfully. "Know that the A.N. has heard your heart's sorrows, and grieves with you, and will see right restored..."

Governor Carmel had to hurry back to Dundabend, where (unbeknownst to those present) he had to meet with his sister and discuss what was to be done about Anarcho-Syndicalist and Feminist Party members still in Raith Immel, if there were any at all. He strongly disagreed with her about dealing with the matter now, during the election, but was hoping she might have information she could only give to him in person. He was also highly suspicious that the Norvenians intended to try to control policing in Raith Immel from behind the scenes.

Izabella Quiri meanwhile went out to see Douglass again, and said, "Well, meetings meetings meetings...where we were? Actually would you like to get together for tea when you have some time off?" she asked, smiling at him.

[Nalaya]

"Well, that wasn't the cluster-fuck I was expecting," Israyelyan said with a grin once they were back in the truck, adjusting his RV armband. There was a certain relief to being out of the lion's den, at least in his mind. Had Nennog and Perrin sunk their claws fully into each other, it might have been very unpleasant.

"Augrim will be missed," Siri said quietly, leaning back in her seat and tipping her cap over her eyes. "At least we have a sort of go-ahead for training more local officers. That will take the load off your brigade."

"I do not know how much I approve of the Norvenians," he said, turning it into gear and pulling out into the street. It was back to the joint command for him and to one of the many aid camps for Siri. "I like to think that their heart is in the right place, but they do not know of boundaries."

The Hramanatar rolled her shoulders in a slight shrug. "A crusader is just that. Reason and temperance have little to do with it. Only their cause and what is wrong."

He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I know you are not done mourning, Kalousik. But it speaks well of you that your tone is so soft for them."

Siri clicked her tongue in an expression of both disapproval and disagreement. "There is nothing soft to me any more. Fire has burned away everything but stone. And it is good. A rock endures where growing things do not. Patients will always need that solace and foundation more than politicians need coddling. And I can almost hear the bitching about Touchstone or the EIO manipulating the damn election. We can do our best to train the proctors, but we can hardly force anyone to play fair...or acknowledge that fair play."

"Good thing it's not our problem," Israyelyan said with a chuckle as he watched traffic with his hawk-like eyes. "The best thing we can do is remain impartial and take no side except that of our wards. It will all sort itself out, inshalla."

"And if not, I roll up my sleeves, grin, and bear it," Siri said before letting her eyes drift closed. "Wake me when it is time to switch trucks."

[Gehenna Tartarus]

It had not been that long ago that Tia had found herself in New Edom. On that occasion, she had been the guest of Princess Mara, at her birthday party. It had been a very interesting party that gave her a brief view of Mara and her cousins. Some of the actions of the group had been a little eye opening for the Tartarian, but she somehow managed to overcome her shock and a pleasant time. It might not have been such an interesting evening, if Perrin had not decided to throw her into the pool and causing them to spend the rest of the evening together, before flying back to his house for the weekend. For some people these actions might not cause anyone to bat an eyelid, but it was not the proper behaviour for a Tartarian noble’s daughter, but then Tia was a little rebellious.

The weekend had been great fun and the couple had enjoyed each other’s company, and then she left. As with most people who meet someone at a party, she had not really expected much to come of it, other than a night or two of sex and maybe an exchange of phone numbers. At the very most, maybe a call or text over the next few days and then nothing.

But that had not been the case, which was why Tia found herself on a plane to New Edom. Perrin had mentioned that there was a military ceremony taking place and that if she was not doing anything, she could come along. It just happened that she had a few days free in her schedule, so she booked a flight and travel arrangements to get her to somewhere called Brightwater. It sounded nice regardless. All she knew about the place was that there was a base there that was having a ceremony and it was where Perrin would be. And that was more than reason enough for her to go there.

The last time Tia was on a base, she had been dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She was not going to make the same mistake twice, so she chose a pair of black cargo pants and a white blouse, with a pair of pumps. Her hair was loose and curled, to give it extra volume.

As she pulled up to the base gates, she flashed the pass she had been given and was met by a gruff, rather solid looking woman in uniform, who appeared a short while after she had arrived. Perrin had mentioned that she would be directed to his house by one of his staff and the woman introduced herself as Sergeant Etain. The female soldier escorted her to Perrin’s house.

[ooc: I was given permission to take part by New Edom]

[New Edom]

Brightwater Combined Arms Base

The base partly consisted of an airfield, barracks which were long two storied buildings with arches along a gallery, open exercise and obstacle fields, quonset huts. A line of soldiers in Forest Pattern BDUs marched along with rifles on their shoulders. Sergeant Etain welcomed Tia, polite but somehow reserved, and drove her to Perrin's house. She gave her a little bit of a tour along the way. "That's the Officer's Club--that way is the chapel. Headquarters is that way--Field Hospital down the street..." it appeared to be as large as a small town--the Sergeant explained that a few thousand personnel were based there, and that it was combined, with Air Force and Army personnel together. They had to divert as a column of tanks and other armored vehicles rumbled along one of the streets, with soldiers standing to direct the traffic.

Finally they got to the area where the officers' quarters were. It was explained that the youngest and unmarried officers had rooms in a barracks, but that married and senior officers lived in houses. Perrin's house was almost palatial. It was a larger villa than the one he lived in in Fineberg, with trees forming a wind break and providing some shade. It had an arched gallery around the front of the house and there was furniture in the gallery like a kind of veranda with carved wooden arches. "This is where the General lives," explained Etain. "He said for you to come in and make yourself at home. There's a concession on the base and a small grocery store, but there's also a market in town. Brightwater doesn't have any shopping malls or big department stores, but it's a beautiful city. I was based here when I was just a kid, before the Civil War. The General says," she got out a package and opened it, "That you can have the keys to the car he rented for here, if you need to get around. You need to know that there was an uprising here a while ago, and so while there's peace please be careful. Do you have any questions at all, Ma'am?"

[Ali-Zebu Union]

Nuleztahni followed after Pricness Fuamnach at a casual pace, making small comments to people that she passed. At which point it appeared that the Elwe princess was ready to speak, Nuleztahni leaned against something if there was anything available, otherwise she just stood casually as she spoke. “There is something you wish to speak with me about Fuamnach, yes? You do not need to hold anything back when you speak with me. Anything you say, I will consider as part of a conversation between two friends. Everything we share will be kept in confidence unless you ask me otherwise.” Nuleztahni smiled a reassuring smile as she thoughtfully observed Fuamnach’s eyes and exotic facial features.

[New Edom]

Fuamnach smiled at her, and said quietly, "About that idea of Raith Immel becoming a protectorate of Ali-Zebu Union--how serious is your government about that proposal,and do you think it would be possible to gain international support for such a move,if it came to that?"

[Ali-Zebu Union]

Nuleztahni had not expected Fuamnach’s question and stood thinking while she considered how to respond. To her, this was something like casually and half seriously mentioning a roll in the sheets with a good friend and being turned down initially only for them ask you to bed only a few months later. It was a curious and somewhat awkward position. She drummed the fingers of her left hand against her thigh, and continued to study Fuamnach’s face for about a minute before she finally spoke with much the same volume as the Elwe princess.

“If I understand correctly my government’s earlier proposal, then that the suggestion was made earnestly. We never wish to force anything upon people unless they leave us absolutely no choice though. Of course, if it is what you and the people of this province want, then I am sure my government would do whatever possible to make things happen. And if all of us were to play our cards right, then I believe we could garner international support.”

She stood silently a brief moment before smiling in a more affectionate fashion. “Let me offer you a sign accepting you as my sister, Fuamnach. You will then be like my own flesh and blood and as such I will not cease to give you my support.” She then put her hands upon Fuamnach’s cheeks and kissed her gently above each eye. “I now welcome you to my family.”

[Gehenna Tartarus]

Brightwater Combined Arms Base

Tia was grateful that Sergeant Etain had giving her a tour of the base, as it gave her some idea where everything was. But it was nice to have some sense of direction. As always, she had gazed out of the window, making mental notes of where things were in relation to other things. It seemed straight forward enough and she was sure that most of the places pointed out would not be used by her.

As they pulled up outside the villa, she noticed that it was bigger than the one she had stayed in previously. “It’s lovely,” she murmured as the Sergeant went on with her explanation. As she looked at the décor, she could not help notice the contrast between his house in Fineberg and this one. She was interested to know if the inside was as minimally furnished as his own.

She was a little surprised when Etain handed her keys to a car and explained about the stores and the market outside. For some reason, she did not think that she would be able to move so freely around the place. Military bases always gave her the impression that she would be escorted everywhere and only people in uniform could go anywhere. But she was in a residential area and the rules were probably a little more relaxed. The soldiers’ families had to have some allowances, but then she was not a family member, she was just a guest and a foreign one at that.

“No, I think you covered everything I need to know,” she said, as she clutched the car keys in her hand. “Thank you for the ride and explaining the situation to me.” She had read a little about the uprising, but had considered everything must be fine now. “Do you know when Per…The General is due back?” As she asked the question, she gathered up her things ready to exit the vehicle. It had been a long journey and she really was ready to crash on the couch. When the question was answered, she stepped out with her things and made her way to the house.

[New Edom]

"General Pahath-Moab is at a meeting," said the Sergeant, checking her clipboard, "And then he's got another one here on the base and he'll be back right after that. Have a nice day, Ma'am," she said, nodding politely and heading back to her Fox.

Inside, the house was not quite as minimalist--it had a number of handsome paintings, including ones from the 17th and 18th centuries showing men in huge perukes with breastplates and swords directing battles, paintings of treaties and the deaths of princes. On a pedestal in the foyer a statuette of a nude woman decorated with flowers and feathers stood, carved out of serpentine. There were woven rugs with bright colors, and in a sunken living room area there was a large vase of china painted with geometric patterns in which a small fig tree stood. The living room led in three directions--towards a patio deck outside and a large yard fenced with a brick wall, with a plum tree and Rover barking at a black and grey squirrel like beast that was sitting in it twitching anxiously., towards a kitchen that was all black and white and steel, and towards a hallway that led to other rooms and had a stairwell leading up.

[Gehenna Tartarus]

Tia watched as the vehicle drove away and then entered the house, and placed her bags off to one side of the door. It was certainly different to the house she had seen in Fineberg. She grinned at the statuette that greeted her arrival and continued on through the house, looking at the paintings on the wall, which were a complete contrast to the posters that she had seen in Perrin’s place.

Walking into the living room, she gave it a brief look and then spotted a very familiar figure outside. She went over to the patio door and pulled it open, stepping through to greet Perrin’s best friend. She crouched down and gave Rover a friendly pat and stroke, making a fuss of the dog. “It’s so good to see you again,” she said to him, as if she expected him to be able to answer her back. She spent a good fifteen minutes with him, before returning to the living room and continuing her look around.

She did not go down the hallway that led to the staircase, but she did take a moment to check out the kitchen, grabbing a cool drink from the fridge. Opening a can of soda, she sipped it thoughtfully as she returned to the living area. It was such a nice day outside, she decided to sit on one of the loungers in the veranda and enjoy the sounds of Rover enjoying himself. She placed her soda on a table and within ten minutes had fallen asleep.

[New Edom]

Princess Fuamnach smiled and briefly held the hands of Princess Nuhtelazi, and said, “Thank you. I will approach our Speaking Council and I will state that you are willing to bring our concerns forward—we had already discussed it as a platform for our party. You have seen the soldiers they have brought in. Most of the Edomite soldiers are boys. The new General for this District is a boy. Let’s say that he is an honorable, brave and valiant boy, but a boy nevertheless. And this will continue, for so much blood has been shed. How can we be safe when so many Edomites believe they will not be safe unless we are dominated? Let the issue be removed—and we will gladly enter the Allied States as a Protectorate when we do so voluntarily—if we do so.”

Brightwater Combined Arms Base

(Estovakivan, Norvenian, Nalayan, Ali-Zebu and Shrailleeni officers may be present)

General Augrim, Brigadier-General Pahath-Moab, Colonel Cotta, Colonel Hermengild, Lieutenant-Colonel Faz, Major Weber, Major Loegaire, Major Heep, were among the officers present at a briefing in a conference room on the base. Lieutenant-Colonel Charleston Ravel ,a serious woman wearing glasses and accompanied by some of her staff, had something important to say, but was waiting a moment before saying.

“This is a military meeting, O sons and daughters of the Sword.” Augrim said quietly. “I am sorrowful that I must leave, but it has been on leave, my presence here. I am required by my people in Haran, who have not seen their Governor these many months, and must return or give up my office. But in Perrin Pahath-Moab thou hast a good commander who loves the people of this country, has bled for them and fought for them. Now: as to a matter of importance. Where lies the control of Brightwater? I am troubled by the fact that there are refugees who depend upon the administration for Brightwater, and towns and villages that yet do, and that are yet under the thumb of the Black Branch. I ask that thou, O sons and daughters of the Sword of Peace, should help to persuade them to withdraw, and enable General Pahath-Moab’s brave hussars to patrol the areas which are rightfully ours to patrol. Shall we have bloodshed? Thou has bled that there should be less. I thank thee, all for thy consideration of this. I beg that it be not “shall we do this” but “how shall we do this”. We are soldiers—let us not debate but think how it may be done well.

“There is another matter that is even more grave however. Colonel Ravel…”

The woman standing had a caduceus as part of her shoulder patch, she looked tired but tense. “I have one word for the more serious matter. Disease. We have the following illnesses that are starting to show up in what I would consider risky numbers.” She began ticking off her fingers. “AIDS. Cholera. Malaria. Typhoid.” She took a deep breath, looking around her. “These as I’m sure you all know could kill more than the Civil War and the Uprising combined. I am ashamed to say this, but New Edom lacks the capacity to deal with this, or we would be dealing with it. We have begun the purchase of more drugs abroad, and we’re trying to get more medical personnel into our hospitals, but I can promise you—with the hundreds of thousands already moved into Teman, the system there is strained, at best. Bara and Haran too. I have been in communication with people in Lookinghaven, Gloria Regis and in Etruria Majora and they should be able to start organizing volunteers. However…” she hesitated a moment. “New Edom’s medical establishment has three grades. What we’d call elite, and what some of you would probably call normal. What we’d call standard, and what some of you would call barely acceptable. And then frankly below that it’s people praying over you and using folk remedies. Some of which work, some of which don’t.” Lieutenant-Colonel Charleston Ravel sat down.

The Edomite officers were superbly disciplined, but this made some of them blanch. “AIDS…” began Major Heep, her face even paler than normal.

Perrin glared at her, and she closed her mouth. “We’ll deal with this. If we beat the Plague, we’ll beat this. Separate the sick ones from the healthy ones if need be, and for now close off the camps to outsiders, start doing decontamination for anyone who enters them. Any prostitution rings or anything else encouraging promiscuity, we deal with. I’m going to have all water purification and toilet systems inspected.” He couldn’t believe Ravel’s breast beating. He suspected it to be about funding and covering her own skinny ass. “Then food preparation—I want to inspect all food preparation systems going on in the camps and in the local areas. Finally, I want all the self-run communities, including the Elwe, tested.”

“That could take weeks,” protested Fabian.

“I’ll start by canceling some leave, that will save time,” said Perrin casually. “It will all be fine. Diseases have been dealt with effectively without modern medical equipment, and it will happen here. I will just expect everyone’s cooperation. You play ball with me, and I’ll play ball with you. You do your bit, and I’ll do mine. We’re all part of the same team, in a fight for freedom and democracy. Work hard, train hard, play hard, and play the game!”

The General’s House

Tia might have woken in response to the sound of heavy footsteps and people saying “Alright, let’s just angle it around the corner…good…keep going forward…” as two soldiers, guided by a third, moved a large carved wooden trunk across the veranda towards the living room. They were wearing forest pattern camouflage uniforms; the one directing them was a red haired woman of slim build. Seeing Tia, she hushed the two men carrying the trunk.

[Gehenna Tartarus]

The General’s House

Tia had no idea how long she had been sleeping, when she was rudely interrupted by something that sounded like someone was trying to break in. It became obvious when she heard the voices that this was not the case and even less so when she saw three people in uniform carrying something into the house, rather than out of it. She was still a little startled, due to waking up suddenly.

She looked at them a little oddly, then rose from the seat, grabbing her soda as she did. She oddly felt a little guilty at being caught in the house, even more so because she had been dead to the world. “Do you need any help?” She asked, not really sure what she could do to help, but it was polite to inquire anyway.

[Nalaya]

Brightwater Combined Arms Base

"We have been doing our best to handle epidemic diseases," Siri said seriously, well aware of at least that difficulty. It was a concern and consideration that St. Xavier's Brigade had invested a great deal of time in addressing. In large, close populations, the spread could be rapid and deadly. "The problem is that we cannot control the spread of it outside of our areas. These are easily monitored and dealt with within Nalayan zones, but as soon as a patient leaves our care, we cannot ensure a steady supply of antibiotics or antivirals. AIDS requires education to handle and preventative measures. Without the cooperation of local doctors and possibly traditional healers, it will be extremely difficult to control."

She massaged her temples slightly for a moment. "The presence of troops from either side is not directly our concern, but health and welfare is. We agreed to take a neutral stance when we came here. I have my hands full enough with problems of well contamination, poor sanitation, potential epidemics, insufficient housing, and inadequate nutrition. General Pahath-Moab, there is a certain reality we need to understand with things such as prostitution rings. Eliminating these is very difficult. It is going to be far more effective for public safety if we instead focus on what is known as harm reduction--provide condoms and counseling, test for STDs, and supply preventative care. The water and sewage systems within Nalaya's domain are being monitored so contamination is dealt with promptly. Food that is locally obtained and prepared is the problem. When we give it out and control its preparation in sanitary facilities, it does not cause infection. Things people find and cook themselves are the issue."

Siri ran down her mental checklist with efficiency. Here in the field on ground she was well acquainted with, the Hramanatar could not have seemed more calm, collected, and in control. She was a completely different woman than she had been in the last meeting. "We cannot deny entry to more refugees. What we need to do is set up a quarantine and ensure they are not contagious, possibly through medication, before allowing them into the general population. This requires a tempered, intelligent response. Delay is not permissible, nor is inaction, but we should not overreact either. My brigade came prepared for this contingency. We know what to do to keep up our end."

She offered Perrin and Augrim a half smile. "Let the soldiers do what they must do, and the doctors do what they are trained to do."

[New Edom]

The General's House

"You woke her up," said one of the soldiers, a big fair haired man.

"I didn't mean to," said the other, a dark haired ferociously ugly looking one.

The woman said, "Sorry, Ma'am, we are part of the General's crew and we were supposed to bring in this chest here, didn't mean to wake you up. We're just taking it right up to the bedroom, won't be a problem." Rover however wanted to help, or play, or something, and began to wander between their feet.

"Hey, Rover, beat it! Shoo! Maybe you can help, can you hold the dog off?" asked the woman. "By the way, I'm Sergeant Hara--Rowan--and these are Sergeants Corwin and Sarg." She glanced at her as the men began to carry the furniture down the hall and up the stairs. "Sorry, we didn't know you were here yet or we would've knocked. Can I do anything for you while you're here?"

[Gehenna Tartarus]

The General's House

“Oh, you did not wake me,” Tia lied, as she looked at the three soldiers. “I merely had my eyes closed.” She did not want any of them to feel uncomfortable going about their business. They were obviously on an errand for Perrin and she was the one that was in the way. Her plane had arrived early and they had made good time to the base.

Placing the soda can back on the table, she crouched down and made a fuss of Rover, so that he would stand with her, rather than run around the others’ legs. She nodded to each in turn, knowing she was never be able to remember everyone’s names. “There is no need to apologise. I probably would not have heard the knock anyway.” And if she had, they would have thought there was no one in by the time she woke up and realised it was someone at the door.

To the offer of assistance, she shook her head and smiled warmly. “I think I have everything I need. Thank you.” She looked once more between the other three. “I’ll put Rover in the garden so he doesn’t trip any of you. It was nice meeting you.” She stood up and gave each one last look, then turned her attention to the dog. “Come on, Rover, let’s go scare that squirrel some more,” she said, laughing, as she led him outside.

[New Edom]

Brightwater Combined Arms Base

"We have been doing our best to handle epidemic diseases," Siri said seriously, well aware of at least that difficulty. It was a concern and consideration that St. Xavier's Brigade had invested a great deal of time in addressing. In large, close populations, the spread could be rapid and deadly. "The problem is that we cannot control the spread of it outside of our areas. These are easily monitored and dealt with within Nalayan zones, but as soon as a patient leaves our care, we cannot ensure a steady supply of antibiotics or antivirals. AIDS requires education to handle and preventative measures. Without the cooperation of local doctors and possibly traditional healers, it will be extremely difficult to control."

She massaged her temples slightly for a moment. "The presence of troops from either side is not directly our concern, but health and welfare is. We agreed to take a neutral stance when we came here. I have my hands full enough with problems of well contamination, poor sanitation, potential epidemics, insufficient housing, and inadequate nutrition. General Pahath-Moab, there is a certain reality we need to understand with things such as prostitution rings. Eliminating these is very difficult. It is going to be far more effective for public safety if we instead focus on what is known as harm reduction--provide condoms and counseling, test for STDs, and supply preventative care. The water and sewage systems within Nalaya's domain are being monitored so contamination is dealt with promptly. Food that is locally obtained and prepared is the problem. When we give it out and control its preparation in sanitary facilities, it does not cause infection. Things people find and cook themselves are the issue."

Siri ran down her mental checklist with efficiency. Here in the field on ground she was well acquainted with, the Hramanatar could not have seemed more calm, collected, and in control. She was a completely different woman than she had been in the last meeting. "We cannot deny entry to more refugees. What we need to do is set up a quarantine and ensure they are not contagious, possibly through medication, before allowing them into the general population. This requires a tempered, intelligent response. Delay is not permissible, nor is inaction, but we should not overreact either. My brigade came prepared for this contingency. We know what to do to keep up our end."

She offered Perrin and Augrim a half smile. "Let the soldiers do what they must do, and the doctors do what they are trained to do."

Lieutenant-Colonel Ravel said, "Hramanatar, considering this is something of an emergency, I would like to suggest--with the permission of my superiors--that we place this under one command--yours. My own people are at your disposal, should it be permitted."

Augrim said nothing, since he wanted the new District Commander to act, and see how he acted. Perrin said, "I agree with the statement of the Hramanatar. I would like to suggest that she be given overall command of the medical emergency, and recommend that the other contingents act with one accord at her direction. I will also advise that the Chaplains and the Bishop of Brightwater give dispensations to orthodox or ETC people who are hesitant about the distribution of condoms, and also request that the ETC camp cooperate with the Hramanatar's direction." His adjutant was swiftly taking notes on all this so it could be translated into orders. Perrin meanwhile glanced at Siri. "Will that be satisfactory?"

It was a matter of some embarrassment to Edomites who had been educated abroad or who had experience abroad that the health system in their country was inadequate, but it was what it was. Ravel privately hoped that the situation would demonstrate the need for more medical training, stockpiles of medicine and better hospitals for the future.

Major Mustar, a CP officer sitting towards the back, was making notes to send to the Governor's aide who was his contact--it might be useful towards the Free Congress' campaign to know about the potential epidemics and have the government act more swiftly than the Elwe groups did.

[New Edom]

The General's House

“Oh, you did not wake me,” Tia lied, as she looked at the three soldiers. “I merely had my eyes closed.” She did not want any of them to feel uncomfortable going about their business. They were obviously on an errand for Perrin and she was the one that was in the way. Her plane had arrived early and they had made good time to the base.

Placing the soda can back on the table, she crouched down and made a fuss of Rover, so that he would stand with her, rather than run around the others’ legs. She nodded to each in turn, knowing she was never be able to remember everyone’s names. “There is no need to apologise. I probably would not have heard the knock anyway.” And if she had, they would have thought there was no one in by the time she woke up and realised it was someone at the door.

To the offer of assistance, she shook her head and smiled warmly. “I think I have everything I need. Thank you.” She looked once more between the other three. “I’ll put Rover in the garden so he doesn’t trip any of you. It was nice meeting you.” She stood up and gave each one last look, then turned her attention to the dog. “Come on, Rover, let’s go scare that squirrel some more,” she said, laughing, as she led him outside.

"Wow," said one of the soldiers in an audible whisper. "She's a babe, the General sure can pick 'em."

"Shut the fuck up," hissed the other in an audible whisper.

Overhead there was the whining droning sound of a plane coming in for a landing, and for several seconds it could be seen coming down from the sky towards the airport Tia had come to. Otherwise Brightwater was a fairly quiet small city.

Meanwhile, Rover trotted through the garden, sniffing around, and then approached a basket sitting on a table on the veranda. It contained a thick rope knotted at each end, a well chewed bone that looked like the leg of a sheep or goat, a small worn out rugby ball (suitable for a small child, perhaps), and a rolled up blanket. He sat near the table the basket was on, cocked his head at Tia, and whined.

[Gehenna Tartarus]

The General's House

As Tia walked out into the garden, she could hear that there was whispering being exchanged, but she did not know what was being said. Not that it would have bothered her if she had. She suspected that she was the topic of conversation, due to the lowered voices, which just made her smile. Whether they were saying good or bad things about her was immaterial, she had people make both kinds of comment before. The bad things mostly from other women and she had learned to shrug them off.

She followed the dog, as he bounded round the garden and watched as he drew her attention to the basket on the table. She looked at him curiously, as he let out a whine. “You are going to make me work for my stay, aren’t you?” She asked, as she looked at the items on offer inside, rummaging through the things. “You’ll only complain if I pick the wrong thing, so you’d better choose.” She lifted the basket off the table and lowered it to Rover’s level. “But I get to pick what we do afterwards.”

[New Edom]

Rover leaned in, sniffing around and put his jaws around the knotted rope, which he lifted out and trotted around with a bit, now and then waving it near her, now and then crouching on the ground, growling a little, watching her, wagging his short brown and black tail. He made not so much a whine but a kind of canine mutter, cocking his head with the knotted rope dangling from his mouth, watching her.

Meanwhile, the three soldiers began to leave. The homely one, Sarg, grabbed the knotted rope's end and began to tug on it, which caused Rover to dig his feet in and thrash his head from side to side, growling, trying to pull it away while Sarg lifted the rope, his forearm muscles knotting as the dog began to backpedal, still growing, and then almost lifting him off the ground before the dog thrashing his head managed to yank the rope free--but Sarg grabbed it before he could make off with it; then yanking it from Rover's mouth he tossed it onto the grass a dozen feet away or so, causing Rover to scramble around and chase after it. Sarg winked at Tia. "Have fun, Ma'am," he said as he headed off with the others.

[Gehenna Tartarus]

Of all the toys he could have chosen, Rover picked that one that Tia would not have done. Throwing a ball was one thing, but playing pull was likely to leave her with a broken nail or two and she had purposely had a manicure for the ceremony so that she was looking her best. After all, there were bound to be a wide range of dignitaries and she did not want to arrive with ragged nails. “You really do not know how to pick, do you know that?” She complained, as Rover looked playfully at her.

Fortunately, before she had to make a grab for the rope, one of the soldiers took hold of the rope and played with Rover. She could not help breaking into an amused and relieved smile, as the dog was battled with and then was bested, before running after the rope as it flew through the air.

“Thank you,” she replied, as she watched the three of them leave. It was extremely nice how pleasant everyone was being to her. Then again, she was a guest of Perrin’s. “I’m going to grab my soda and then we can play ball,” she explained to Rover, before walking back over to the table by the lounger and picking up her drink.

[Nalaya]

Lieutenant-Colonel Ravel said, "Hramanatar, considering this is something of an emergency, I would like to suggest--with the permission of my superiors--that we place this under one command--yours. My own people are at your disposal, should it be permitted."

Augrim said nothing, since he wanted the new District Commander to act, and see how he acted. Perrin said, "I agree with the statement of the Hramanatar. I would like to suggest that she be given overall command of the medical emergency, and recommend that the other contingents act with one accord at her direction. I will also advise that the Chaplains and the Bishop of Brightwater give dispensations to orthodox or ETC people who are hesitant about the distribution of condoms, and also request that the ETC camp cooperate with the Hramanatar's direction." His adjutant was swiftly taking notes on all this so it could be translated into orders. Perrin meanwhile glanced at Siri. "Will that be satisfactory?"

It was a matter of some embarrassment to Edomites who had been educated abroad or who had experience abroad that the health system in their country was inadequate, but it was what it was. Ravel privately hoped that the situation would demonstrate the need for more medical training, stockpiles of medicine and better hospitals for the future.

Major Mustar, a CP officer sitting towards the back, was making notes to send to the Governor's aide who was his contact--it might be useful towards the Free Congress' campaign to know about the potential epidemics and have the government act more swiftly than the Elwe groups did.

"This would be extremely helpful, General Pahath-Moab," Siri said with a short and grateful, if terse, nod. "Now we have the ability to address this in a uniform fashion, which makes it much easier to manage and prevent epidemic breakouts. We can certainly control it if we are all acting in tandem. However, it is not a new problem and not one that will likely go away for as long as we have high population density in both camps and urban areas. We will need more medical staff. Would it be acceptable if we began basic medic training for any civilian volunteers who approach us?"

Even as she spoke, the calculations were running in her head. "We may also need more dispensaries. The medical stockpiles I have been authorized and given by the Ajakts'yuk'un are substantial, but we need to prepare for a long haul on this one. The Edomite government has more opportunity to legitimately acquire drugs from foreign suppliers than the EIO. Anything that could be supplied would be extremely welcome. Even donated medications from the general populace of New Edom away from Raith Immel could go a long way to ensure a steady supply of pharmaceuticals for the long months to come. Even as difficult as these epidemics are, they are almost less of a problem than the treatment of chronic diseases and disorders."

She laid out the area maps that she'd brought with her, pulling out a red pen that she used to outline the problem areas. "To brass tacks, we do have a serious problem that is doing no good to the typhoid and dysentery that we've seen cropping up. With damage to infrastructure in former combat zones, whether by fire or munitions, there has been sewage leakage into substantial parts of the local watershed. Yes, we can have people boil water or use purification tablets, but that's no good when they wash their clothes in the water or themselves. We need to get engineers either to repair the damage or to find a new source of water."

[New Edom]

"I think that the recommendation to train assistants is a good idea--even if all we did at first was train orderlies that would be a step in the right direction," agreed Ravel. "If we approach the Governor's office--frankly the Provincial Department of Health might as well be nonexistent--then we stand a better chance of getting meds. As for the water issue--"

"I have a few thoughts on that," said Perrin. "Why don't we get some of the logging companies to help out with that? In addition I have an Engineering Squadron under my command, and we have a Construction Squadron with the Air Force down in Dundbaend. The loggers may not know the kind of sewage engineering you're talking about, but they know heavy machinery and can work under instruction. You're right, Hramanatar, repairing the infrastructure is key."

[Ali-Zebu Union]

Nuleztahni tilted her head slightly. A fiercely determined woman is what Fuamnach was and that was something Nuleztahni appreciated. She liked to see fire and passion in anyone regardless of their sex. It spoke a great deal to her own person. “You have my words, actions, and pocketbook if you need it Fuamnach. Is there more you wish to discuss or shall we have a drink and speak more casually somewhere else? That is, if you have the time of course.” She smiled gently.


Brightwater Combined Arms Base

Major General Onue Katsumi listened and spoke as most people from her country, including the SAR did. She only spoke when she thought it necessary and listened to everything that was said. She tapped the scabbard of her katana, whose blue matched her eyes, and threw in her two cents worth. “We would be more than happy to have the Hramanatar and the Nalayans heading the health related concerns. You will find plenty of volunteers, both trained physicians and nurses and those with an honest desire to help in Ali-Zebu. Medical supplies are another thing we can provide in ample quantities and we certainly have the capacity to transport them. We have also had our allies express interest in aiding in whatever way they can.”

Katsumi got tired of her sword’s scabbard resting on the ground so she placed it on the table in front of her. “In terms of rebuilding infrastructure, we have had teams of engineers and other workers working around the clock to rebuild the infrastructure around Yellow Grove, Brightwater, and anywhere that has had the greatest in need in this regard. Our workers would like to thank everyone for being both cooperative and friendly as they have worked.” With that, Katsumi sat back in her chair and sipped her strong, unmolested coffee.

The people here were playing an interesting game. And the more impulsive nature of the second princess would likely make things more interesting, more of a headache, or just possibly both.

[New Edom]

Nuleztahni tilted her head slightly. A fiercely determined woman is what Fuamnach was and that was something Nuleztahni appreciated. She liked to see fire and passion in anyone regardless of their sex. It spoke a great deal to her own person. “You have my words, actions, and pocketbook if you need it Fuamnach. Is there more you wish to discuss or shall we have a drink and speak more casually somewhere else? That is, if you have the time of course.” She smiled gently.

Fuamnach said, "If you would like to meet for a drink..." she said with a smile, "I will do so. Do you know that until I was seventeen I had never been to a restaurant, or worn shoes? What different upbringings we must have had." Fuamnach knew that Nulezhtahni had a bit of a reputation as a seductress, but certainly not as a ravisher. She liked the Ali-Zebu people; they had treated her kindly before they even knew who she was, and more importantly were willing to take risks some others were not.

Brightwater Combined Arms Base

Major General Onue Katsumi listened and spoke as most people from her country, including the SAR did. She only spoke when she thought it necessary and listened to everything that was said. She tapped the scabbard of her katana, whose blue matched her eyes, and threw in her two cents worth. “We would be more than happy to have the Hramanatar and the Nalayans heading the health related concerns. You will find plenty of volunteers, both trained physicians and nurses and those with an honest desire to help in Ali-Zebu. Medical supplies are another thing we can provide in ample quantities and we certainly have the capacity to transport them. We have also had our allies express interest in aiding in whatever way they can.”

Katsumi got tired of her sword’s scabbard resting on the ground so she placed it on the table in front of her. “In terms of rebuilding infrastructure, we have had teams of engineers and other workers working around the clock to rebuild the infrastructure around Yellow Grove, Brightwater, and anywhere that has had the greatest in need in this regard. Our workers would like to thank everyone for being both cooperative and friendly as they have worked.” With that, Katsumi sat back in her chair and sipped her strong, unmolested coffee.

The people here were playing an interesting game. And the more impulsive nature of the second princess would likely make things more interesting, more of a headache, or just possibly both.

"Thank you, General Katsumi," said Perrin, glancing at her. "Everything is going so well, that all we can say is thank you as well." he spread his hands with a smile. "I can't think of anything to add--the situation is of course serious but I think we all have a lot of work to do and are clearly on the same page. General Augrim?"

"Unless there is anything further from anyone here--I suggest that we be about the work that there is to do, and we have as well a ceremony which all are welcome to attend to honor the newly arrived commander and his troopers. Thank you all." said Augrim, rising and inclining his head politely.

[Nalaya]

"General Pahath-Moab, I am sorry I will not be able to attend your ceremony. With these new areas under Nalayan direction, there is a great deal of work to be done. But for what it is worth, welcome to Raith Immel. General Augrim has been a great blessing to us, and I am certain you will be as well," Siri said, ending with a salute and a slight click of her heels. Even out of her dress uniform, she still knew the proper discipline.

Having work to do was everything to her. It made her feel useful, valuable, helpful. Not paralyzed or powerless. And beyond that, it kept her mind and her body busy. The adrenaline rushes were welcome things that helped her pull through long or particularly demanding hours. And the other problems she'd been having faded away, even nightmares. She was content with a workload that might frighten most other people. And now it'd just gotten bigger, but she was if anything grateful for the chance to fix things. It would relieve the immense pressure on her brigade.

She excused herself politely, but with good wishes to everyone, promising to send the region's other commanders her notes and plans once she had all of the kinks worked out. It would be a good beginning. The Hramanatar departed humming low in her throat with a spring in her step. Finally, she could do something right.