Inside the Political Minds of Kylaris [ARCHIVED]

[Motochi]

REPORT: WESTERN MOTOCHI CONFLICT; BATTLE OF WESTERN MAYAGO
By Motochian Armed Forces Intelligence
This file is classified with Secret II Classification. Unauthorized reading or sharing of this report will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

BACKGROUND
Several units were involved in the conflict in the suburbs of Mayago, and during the operation, all of them were referred to under the callsign Golf. Golf 1 provided infantry, while Golf 2 provided motor support and Golf 3 acted as a support unit with heavy machine guns and other support weapons. Each unit was platoon sized and the entire operation was overseen by Golf 4, a command unit made up of experienced officers from the 3rd Company of the Motochian Army Special Forces. The 3rd Company has a long history of counter terror operations for the country dating back to ================= and was chosen directly by Prime Minister Ayanit Azame to carry out the Mayago rescue attempt.

The four units entered the area via truck and with the main goal of recovering the thirty schoolgirls being held captive by Al-Yilna insurgents, and the secondary goal of capturing the insurgent leaders for questioning. MAFI reports indicated that the schoolgirls were being held at a ranch in the distant suburbs to the west of the district, in what would be considered the western half of the country, and the approach would have the units proceed a half mile out from the ranch via truck, before walking on foot the rest of the way and aiming for stealth in their assault. Below is the report of that assault and the outcome.

THE BATTLE
The assault began when Golf 1 climbed the fence and entered the ranch from the side, opening an unlocked window and spreading out in two directions across the large main building. At the same time, Golf 3 set up around the building and established a no go zone around the main entrances and exits, ensuring that they would be able to fire on anyone who attempted to escape. Golf 2 would stay further down the road and wait in reserve, to avoid alerting the insurgents before it was time, and Golf 4 would wait outside and would have a communications team set up behind Golf 3.

However, Golf 1 was discovered before they could reach the window, and they met heavy resistance as soon as they stepped into the ranch and began spreading out. While they dealt major losses initially to their enemy, they didn't know the layout like the insurgents did and suffered from being ambushed by fighters who knew the system of hallways much better, with at least two fireteams taking the wrong path, getting lost, and then getting gunned down by insurgents who would quickly appear before attacking and retreating into the hallway system.

After the fact intelligence has revealed that these problems likely stemmed from the MAF rushing the operation because of the public demand for it, rather than taking more time to learn the building layout and other tactical details instead of rushing to rescue the captive schoolgirls without regarding their own safety. Public pressure from Ayanti Azame may be the reason for this, in addition to pressure from almost every media outlet.

Golf 1 would be attempting to secure the building while Golf 3 and 4 suffered a surprise attack from the buildings on the other side of the road, which were owned by Al-Yilna. Intelligence did not prepare the soldiers for the chance that the insurgents had more men in the area, and a firefight would ensue that would see both Motochian units take heavy losses and be forced to retreat further down the road and allow the insurgents to surround the building that was being raided by Golf 1. This wouldn't be communicated to Golf 1, who would have one fireteam attempt to exit through the front entrance before being gunned down by Al-Yilna insurgents waiting by the road.

When the word spread of the losses outside of the ranch, all units went into a tactical retreat, and Golf 2 moved further up the road and used machine gun fire to suppress the insurgents while the infantry units returned to their trucks, and the IFVs would have the most success of any of the units and would take not much damage at all while neutralizing at least two Al-Yilna fireteams. However, the result of the operation would still be deemed a TOTAL FAILURE because of both objectives being failed and heavy losses being sustained to three of the involved units.

THE OUTCOME
After the embarrassment that was sustained in this battle, it's worth looking at more DITO training for the MAF and more foreign support for the Western Motochi Conflict. Al-Yilna defeated what was supposed to be the best counter terror unit in the country, and that's concerning. If this is the standard that the best soldiers fight at, then it's worth looking into retraining the entire military. Otherwise, we're going to have no chance if the Western League gets their wish and turns this thing into a real, true hot war.

[Senkaku]

Dark Sword

---

Office of the Director, Research Office Wing, State Security Main Directorate, Tianjing, Capital Region, Songguo



The Palace of the Grand Assembly glowed in the distance, its illuminated, ornamented walls and roof tiles forming glittering reflections on the reservoirs that flanked it, along with the dark shapes of the trees scattered across the Field of Heroes. Yulan could imagine, even now, that there were bureaucrats and aides and policy advisers and even representatives still scuttling around in its vast, cavernous halls- not that she needed to. The darkened screens all through her office could, if she wished it, give her crystal-clear views from the Interior Security Ministry's cameras of every nook and cranny of the building, save for a few important offices and the State Council Chambers. As it was, though, the only source of light in her office was the glow of the city outside. Between the Research Office and the Field of Heroes, cars zipped along, headlights turning the black asphalt burning white, and beyond the park and the glittering seat of the legislature, the brutalist colossi of other government agency headquarters rose improbably skyward under their own weight. Where it peeked through here and there, the sky overhead was as black as ink, but the swollen, low-hanging clouds reflected an orange-gold light back down onto the city- almost the same color Yulan remembered them reflecting back when she had watched Dongjing burn under Nematsese shells, countless decades ago in her girlhood.

She turned away from the huge window and set down her empty teacup, the beautifully patterned white and cobalt porcelain as thin as an eggshell. There was a gentle buzz from her intercom speaker, mounted in a gilded case on the surface of her desk.
"Your Imperial Highness, Colonel Min, from the MSJ, is here with Deputy Director Liang," her chief of staff, An Xilai, said quietly. She nodded to herself, turning around and walking over to turn on the lights.
"Very well, send them in," she replied, her eyes protesting at the sudden brightness that filled the room.

A moment later, the door opened, and two men came in. The first was fairly young, wearing the black dress uniform of an MSJ officer, while the second was a portly man getting on past middle-aged, wearing a gray vest and suit and a pin in the shape of the flag. Both bowed- the unfamiliar MSJ man deeper, Liang Geming more shallowly.
"Your Imperial Highness," they echoed, discordant voices grating on each other as they attempted to march through the air together. Geming had a smoker's voice- there was no other way to describe the sounds produced by the throat of Yulan's chain-smoking deputy, which seemed to struggle out of his throat after battling through a landslide and slashing its way through a battle and had a certain mucousy rasp added to its natural deep, gravelly tones. Colonel Min sounded like a singer, his voice an octave higher, smooth and sonorous, and it made Geming's gruff, rumbling growl sound all the worse for wear.
"Gentlemen. Please, sit," Yulan said, motioning to the two chairs arranged in front of her desk. While they took their seats, she pressed the button on the intercom and spoke carefully into the microphone. "Xilai, why don't you come in here as well?"

A moment later, Xilai quietly slipped into the room, closing the door behind him and bowing slightly before moving to stand behind her.
"Now, Deputy Director Liang, Colonel Min- thank you for meeting with me," she continued. "I was hoping to discuss a certain sensitive request- I've already mentioned this in passing to the Deputy Director, and both he and my chief of staff-" she motioned to Xilai- "recommended you, Colonel Min."
"I'm honored, Your Imperial Highness," he said, inclining his head. "How can I help?"
"Xilai, would you care to fill Colonel Min in a bit? My throat is a bit sore- I'll have some tea brought in for all of us." She tapped a button on the intercom, sending a simple buzzing signal to the nearest break area, where her staffers had learned to lie in wait for the cue to fire up the kettle and provide the Grand Empress Dowager with her beverage of choice.
Xilai cleared his throat.
"The matter is in regards to the western pirate entity- Her Imperial Highness, and to some extent the State Council, are concerned over its continued closeness with the Federation of Asteria and increasing cooperation and integration with foreign powers. Given recent internal political issues there, and reports on the state of affairs there, the moment seems opportune to move to take advantage of a splintered situation to give the barbarians some real splinters. It's quite possible that certain comments or information could come out, at any moment, especially over the internet, that would have not only a negative impact on the entity's relationships but on its internal political discourse. As a longtime opponent of the Federal Union, it seems advantageous that the western pirate entity be weakened."
Colonel Min glanced from Xilai to Yulan once, nodding slightly. "What is being proposed, then?"
An aide silently slipped into the door, scurrying over and refilling Yulan's cup with steaming tea before presenting the others each with a cup full of scalding liquid. The conversation paused, and all four of them stared at him, silent, until the door clicked shut once more. Yulan took a few sips of her tea, and then carefully set her cup down and began to speak.
"Obviously, it would be deleterious to the reputation of the State Council to be seen promoting international discord at a delicate time, and certainly some counselors have always opposed the promotion of such discord, even when it may prove advantageous, as a matter of principle. However, given the ripeness of the moment for striking, I have deliberated, and believe it might be most expedient to set up a working group unrestricted by typical documentation procedures, perhaps with the aid of sympathetic elements in one of our allies."
Colonel Min sipped his own tea, appraising her. "I think I have some contacts who may be, as you say, sympathetic elements to such an endeavor. Are you familiar with Aarav Khatri, the Hyndanan Foreign Security Directorate Deputy Director for Cybersecurity?"
"I can't say I've had the pleasure, that I recall, but I do believe I know of him, at least."
"I will reach out to him and see what might be possible. A special undocumented working group should be well within his abilities to put together, and I'm sure he'll see the worthiness of our cause, and be willing to help out an old friend."
"Excellent. How soon do you think such a group might be ready to begin operations?"
"Well, it would likely take him a few days to reach out to his own contacts and bring in team members from Hyndana, or perhaps elsewhere in the alliance. Would we be sending any personnel to assist?"
"Possibly some staff from the Research Office," Yulan said with a nod. "But a very small number, in a discreet fashion."
"I see. I would estimate that Aarav would be able to build the working group and find a base of operations within a week, then."
"Wonderful. I'd greatly appreciate it if you could reach out to him on my behalf." She tapped a finger idly against the paper-thin ceramic of her cup. "Oh, and I think it would be best to keep your contact with him discreet. As I said, we want this working group... liberated from the constraints of paperwork, and I'm sure Director Ai and Minister Ying would like it that way as well."
Min offered what Yulan thought was an almost imperceptible smirk. "Of course."

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

11 June 2017
Síocháin Building
Spálgleann, Glytter

It had been a long day, and it was only quarter to noon. The brass of the Social Democratic Party was huddled around the large oak table in the middle of their war room. They were ready for battle, or at least they hoped they were. With the Comhthionól election starting tomorrow, the party leadership - both in and out of the Tionól - had gathered at the party's headquarters.

Papers were skewed across the table as scribbles, a mix of place names and numbers, were splashed on the dry erase boards that lined the walls. It was a stressful time. The campaign was not a friendly one to the SDs, perhaps more specifically for their leader - Darragh Ballíck. It is hard to be egged several times by union workers and not have a rough campaign. A series of blunders, fumbles, and over-emotion also plagued the embattled leader. Opinion polls conducted nationally and in key constituencies were not favorable to the SDs either. Nationally they trailed the Liberty Party while in key battleground constituencies Centre and Labour ate away at their first preference votes.

As strategists and members of the shadow cabinet hurried around the room, Ballíck sat quietly. He was alone with his thoughts, and he was pissed. He was infuriated with the unions that had defected from the SDs, breaking nearly a century's tradition. Unions were historically the life and blood of the Social Democrats, and without the unions the Social Democratic political machine was destined to grind to a halt. In Bulfawst, the reddest city in the country, this was the very case. Without the Union of Seamen and Longshore men and the Shipbuilder's Federation, the party struggled. Repeated appearances in the city saw eggs lobbed at Ballíck, many successfully splattering on their target. Was it over? Probably. Was he ready? No.

Liberty had been in power for fifteen years, surely this should have been working against them. And to be truthful, it was. In the 2007 and 2012 elections, Liberty consistently lost seats. In fact, it seemed the same would be true tomorrow. However, in large part thanks to the efforts of the woman responsible for the Social Democratic Party's demise - Alexis Walker - Liberty managed to come out on top. In 2007, the pragmatic centrist entered into coalition with the Centre Party. In 2012, she hammered out a full supply agreement with the Glytter Democrats and a loose agreement with the FMP on the budget. Meanwhile, his own alliance with the Greens pulled him under fire from his industrial base. Ballíck's party was under siege from both the left and the right, and that was never a good thing. Especially for him.

Ballíck was a bad campaigner, and he knew it. He was never one for crowds, but he was a dedicated socialist who genuinely cared about the little guy. In fact, after the 2012 election that is why they chose him. His love for policy, the party thought, could rival that of Walker. But, Walker was gone and now he as up against the much younger, much trendier, much more charismatic O'Reilly.

His eyes scanned the room. On the boards he watched party strategists frantically recorded grim statistics. He needed to stop doing that.

Across the table sat his deputy, perhaps the Social Democrats' best counter to O'Reilly. While he was no young man, Stiofán N. Suibhne was everything else. He was one of Glytter's most popular politicians on social media, he was charismatic, welcoming. He was also a former union boss and maintained strong ties with the unions. Many of the unions only remained with the SDs because of their love of the man popularly styled as SNS. Suibhne was the favorite to succeed Ballíck, and just about everyone but the latter knew it.

The old iron-miner say the shell-shocked expression of his leader. It worried him. He liked Ballíck, even though many others in the party currently loathed him. SNS stood up slowly and walked across the room. He patted the doomed party leader on the shoulder before speaking.

"Well ladies and gents, the work you are doing is spectacular. Without you, we'd be no where. However, I think its time we break for lunch. I know I'm hungry" he said cheerfully.

The room was filled with a chorus of affirmation and people slowly grabbed their belongings and made their way out of the conference room turned war room.

As SNS left, he smiled at Ballíck who remained seated. "If you need anything, you know where to find me boss. Anything at all".

The party leader managed to muster up a smile of his own. "Thanks, Stiofán. I've always been able to count on you". He offered no further comment and showed no intentions of moving, so Suibhne made his way out of the room. As he was preparing to enter the staircase, a voice stopped him.

"Hey, Suibhne. Wait for me!" the voice called from across the hallway. SNS turned around to see the Shadow Minister for Education, Culture, Children, and Social Inclusion. It was a long title, but they almost were for the Shadow Cabinet which was much smaller than the real deal. Many of the positions were condensed.

"Ah, Morgan. How are you?" he answered.

"I am good, thank you" the much younger man replied after jogging over. "Wanna grab lunch?"

"Sure, I was just going to head to one of the food trucks. Please, join me".

The pair made their into the staircase, exchanging all sorts of pleasantries. However, that was going to end soon enough. Election day was tomorrow, and there was seldom time for small talk.

"Now, if you don't mind me asking" the Shadow Minister replied. "Tomorrow is going to be rough, and well. I -" he paused for a moment as the party chair, Marty Mann, and his gaggle of aides and strategists hurried past them. The last thing he wanted was for the chair to hear any of this.

Once it was safe, he continued. "Well, I really thing we are going to have to start thinking about the future. I'm worried about the future. I've talked to a lot of activists within the Young SDs and well, it isn't good. Many say their usual socialist friends have turned to Centre now. They've enticed them with free tuition. We seem destined to fail, both the polls and the talking heads project that. We can't deliver them what they want, but Centre could. Especially since they look to gain seats while Liberty looks to lose them".

Morgan Dougharty was a young and spry man. He had once served as the leader of the party's youth wing and went on to stand as a TC in the years since. One ear was always to the ground, as Morgan genuinely believed that the youth of the party were what would make or break the election.

"I'm an honest man" Suibhne replied. "Tomorrow will be bad for us, and I share similar concerns to you. If we lose young people, the unions can't push us over. Especially since we've started to lose the unions too. We have a lot of soul searching to do starting Tuesday".

"Well, what happens when Centre gets the Education Ministry and pushes it through? They then carried out that promise and the kids will love them".

SNS had a difficult choice to make. Did he want a hot pulled pork sandwich or a cold roast beef?

"I'll have the pork, please" he told the woman inside the food truck.

"That'll be four Euclos, sir" she said as she entered his order into a tablet.

"Here, what do you want Morgan? I'll cover you too" he said as he turned to his young colleague.

"I'll take a gyro please".

"Five Euclos" the woman said before Suibhne handed her the money.

The two stepped to the back of the truck where the orders were distributed. "Now, Liberty will have to make concessions to Centre sure. But any that involve taxes going up are going to be a big ask, and getting rid of uni fees means taxes have to go up somewhere. I wouldn't be too sure they'll get education either. They may, but it's rare for the junior partner to control the education ministry" he told the Shadow Minister as he reached for his sandwich.

"But, it's a weird time. Once the projections come out tomorrow night we'll know what to expect, don't fret too much" Suibhne finished before taking a bite.

"Now this, this is good" he remarked.

"Well yes but, this would be our fourth consecutive defeat. Four elections, that's never happened before" Morgan replied.

"No, it hasn't. Walker did a lot of damage to us when she and the Middle came to power and became more appealing. How she handled Euclea helped her with the centre and centre-left as well. But, it hurt her with the right. The FMP and now the Nats are testimony to that" Suibhne said in between bites.

"Don't worry too much about the future just yet, we need to get through tomorrow. I've been at this for a long time and trust me when I say, you'll want to save your worries for tomorrow".

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

To Fall from Grace
Part One

13 June 2017
One Liberty
Spálgleann, Glytter

"We, we've done it" an almost shell-shocked Darren McGovern said as some of the most recognizable faces in Glytteronian television announced sources within the top ranks of the Social Democratic Party said that the leader of the SDs, Darragh Ballíck would be conceding to O'Reilly in the morning.

"The exit polls were right, and thank fuck for that" McGovern finished.

On the sofa across the room sat Jimmy O'Reilly, who breathed a sigh of relief. "We've not won this yet, Darren" he said. "Yes the SDs are out of the running, but we still don't have a majority. On top of that, we are projected to lose seats. Even if Centre picks up seats as the projections suggest, I won't have a majority".

"That isn't true" his Chief of Staff replied. He rubbed his eyes before standing up. It had been a long, sleepless night and it was finally catching up with him. He stretched his arms as he continued speaking.

"Yes, Liberty stands to lose seats. But there are two important things you are not considering. While I am not one of the electoral strategists we've got in the conference room down the hall, I know the legislature. The Glyt Dems are projected to double their seat count, meaning we've got the votes. Securing the supply agreement was brilliant, Walker saved our assess with that. She was always a few votes short, but as a pragmatist she intentionally stuck things in bills to get the more centrist of the SDs' backbenchers to back it. And PNG abstains from all votes unrelated to the EC, meaning that she always needed one less vote. This means a lot when you have to pragmatically poach opposition backbenchers. We benefit in two ways, based on these projections. Both the party we have a supply agreement with and the party that abstains on virtually all issues stand to gain significantly tonight. Even if the PNG backtracks on their abstention policy, we have a majority".

"Thank God for that" O'Reilly said in response. He absorbed the information for a moment before it finally hit him: he had won.

"I should call Alastríona and tell her the good news. While I do that, reach out to the Glyt Dems and float the idea of getting them into government with us. If the coalition can get a majority, I'm willing to toss them a few cabinet posts".

Suddenly, Darren was paralyzed by fear. Fuck he thought to himself. "Fuck" he said aloud.

"What is it?" the Taoiseach questioned, with a touch of concern in his voice.

"Fucking Frank. Remember, the deal? We'll need his approv-" McGovern said before he was interrupted.

"No, fuck Frank. He's out. I won this. I won this. He did nothing but try and sabotage me. Come Thursday he's out of a job. So are all his little toadies. Fuck them, fuck him. I'm the Taoiseach. He doesn't deserve the post he has, so he won't have it anymore. He won't have anything anymore" Jimmy shouted in whispers. He didn't want the whole of the Liberty Party to know of the secret deal he had made with the Foreign Minister to secure the party leadership. Jimmy knew Frank would have allies around and didn't want word getting out.

"Are you sure you should do that?" Darren replied

"I'm not selling him my soul. I'm my own man, he's done" the O'Reilly answered.

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

To Fall from Grace
Part Two

15 June 2017
Bán Thaisceadh
Spálgleann, Glytter

It was a good day to be Frank Casarnach, the Foreign Minister thought to himself. He carefully watched the buildings as they would appear and vanish before him. Frank was on his way to meet with the recently victorious Taoiseach. It was an odd victory, most certainly. Despite his best efforts, O'Reilly came out on top.

"The SDs fucked it up too much" his wife Claire told him Tuesday morning. "They couldn't help themselves, there was little you could do to help them".

Frank, of course, did not really want Liberty to win. A defeat for O'Reilly would be a personal victory for the Foreign Minister, who was waiting in the wings. He would be the one to take over the party should they have suffered a defeat. But as Claire said, the SDs couldn't help themselves. As a result, Liberty was in a stronger position. It would have to make more concessions to its coalition partners, who would flex their new strength to get what they wanted, but O'Reilly had a majority government.

Alas, it did not matter. Frank was prepared for either outcome, win or lose he'd come out on top. He made a deal with O'Reilly back in March that ensured Frank would call many of the shots. His man at Finance, his man at Interior, his man at Defence. With that, he would influence much of the government's agenda, regardless of what O'Reilly wanted to do.

Yes indeed, it was a good day to be Frank Casarnach.

He checked his watch. Almost there he thought to himself impatiently. He already knew what O'Reilly was going to say, and more importantly do. A list of his handpicked ministers was in his jacket pocket. Goldman would stay at Finance, Bóruma would get Defence, and Kiley would get Interior. All three were close Casarnach allies and were due for promotion. Frank also hoped to cull Walker loyalists from the Cabinet. O'Reilly was an empty suit and would be heavily influenced by those around him. With Walker herself running for Continental Office, she was out of the picture. Royce and Pingins, especially Pingins, were prime targets. Yanking their powerful posts from them would neuter them at worst. At best, they'd be out the door.

The black SUV carrying the Foreign Minister began to slow down.

"Turning in now, Sir" his driver said.

"Thanks, Eadbhárd" Frank replied as he straighten his tie. He looked out the window once more as they approached the main entrance of the Taoiseach's residence.

"You may want to park the car, I'll be a while" he told the driver smugly.

Smile, Frank. All eyes are on you he thought to himself as he opened the door. He waved to the press corps across the drive and smiled. He drowned out their shouts, frantic questions of no interest to him at the moment. Frank would do a victory lap with them after.

He was greeted by one of Bán Thaisceadh's staff and shown into the residence. It was a familiar site to him, he had met here often with Walker. Emergency Cabinet meetings in the early hours of the morning and late hours of the night were common during his tenure. Frank would often joke he had only seen the building in the dark and had no real idea what it looked like from the outside.

"I know the way" he told the staffer, a new face he did not yet recognize. Black. Must be an O'Reilly hire Frank thought silently.

He took long strikes as he made his way down the ornate hallway. At the end was the door to the Taoiseach's working office. One day, that'll be mine. Claire insisted that patience was necessary. O'Reilly would not be easy to remove, his charisma, youth, and gushing modernity made him popular. Frank had none of those things, but he had his mind and perhaps more importantly a long list of political allies.

As he arrived outside the office, he knocked forcefully on the polished wooden door.

"Ah yes. Come in, Frank" a muffled voice on the other-side answered.

Frank turned the knob and opened the door. He instantly made eye contact with O'Reilly, but scanned the room. There was O'Reilly Chief of Staff, Darren McGovern, and to his surprise, the party chair, Maude O'Kane was in the room. O'Kane was a staunch Walker ally and would be going no where, at least not without intervention on Frank's behalf. Her presence threw him off, but his arrogance still blinded him.

"Jimmy, congratulations on the win" the Foreign Minister said as he shook the Taoiseach's hand.

"Thank you, Frank" O'Reilly replied. The two men broke their handshake and the younger returned to his seat behind his desk.

A bit short he thought after the handshake ended.

Casarnach then turned his attention to the other attendees. He hugged O'Kane, the facade of intimacy was important. She was, after all, the party chair.

"Happy as always to see you, Maude. Congratulations to you as well. You fended off and held well. Everyone knows the incumbents have a hard time holding, but you made history. Four wins in a row" he gushed. It was all without sincerity, as he considered the party chair to be a rival of his going forward, vying for O'Reilly's ear. However, the victory was impressive nonetheless and it was something Frank could respect.

"We have excellent TCs and TCs-to-be. I can't take credit for their work, but I can take credit for picking them" she said jokingly.

Frank offered up a forced laugh before shaking McGovern's hand.

"Please, Frank. Take a seat. Darren, if you could get the door" O'Reilly said once pleasantries had come to a close.

The door shut as the Foreign Minister took his seat. Only he and the Taoiseach were seated, with O'Kane and McGovern standing to the sides of O'Reilly.

Frank found it interesting, but not cause for concern.

He decided he should break the awkward silence. Both O'Reilly and McGovern knew what was going to happen, he might as well kick it into motion and allow them to save face in front of the party chair.

"I am pleased to offer my services to you as you form a cabinet. It would truly be an honor to serve in an administration as historic as yours" Frank began. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his list. "I have a few suggestions for cabinet posts, I hope you don't mind. I feel thi-".

He was cut off by O'Reilly. "Well, thank you Frank. I mean it. However".

What the fuck Frank thought to himself. However, the fuck is this?

"I believe, and both Maude and Darren agree with me on this, that the party needs to seek a, a different approach to international affairs. This was a victory yes, but we did lose seats. We simply cannot risk upsetting our coalition partners. I'm sorry to say this Frank but, I do not plan on asking you to serve as Foreign Minister" O'Reilly finished calmly.

"Where the fuck do you get off" Frank growled in reply.

O'Kane was visibly surprised by the hostility as McGovern silently gulped.

"We had a god-damned deal, we had a fucking deal Jimmy. I am the reason you are sitting there. That was MY doing" Casarnach shouted.

"I got you the delegates you needed, you promised me my job. And now you, you fucking spineless twat, you're going to fucki-".

"That's enough, Frank" the Taoiseach interrupted.

"I cannot have someone as blundering as you, as careless as you, as Foreign Minister. You're fired because of your own actions. Your latest episode over Thurne confirmed that my reservations about keeping you on were valid".

Frank began to laugh despite the fact that he was seething with rage. O'Kane's presence did little to pacify him, and Frank's claims about a deal worried the party chair.

"I always knew you were an empty fucking suit. You're nothing without Walker, remember that" Frank said as he stood up.

"I'll show myself out but just you know, Jimmy. This isn't over. You've fucked up, you've fucked up big time".

The door slammed behind him as he stormed down the hallway.

Fuck.

[Senkaku]

RESEARCH OFFICE ARCHIVES

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09-27-17 Qin Siming-Lantai Audio Files Transcript
Director's Office (Recording begins at 19:02 Hours)

[begin tape]
SPEAKER 1 (HIH DIRECTOR LIN): Nice to see your face, Jianjun. It's been a while.

SPEAKER 2 (MSJ DIRECTOR AI): It has, Your Imperial Highness. I'm honored you wanted to see me. [chair creaks]

SPEAKER 1: Well, we never seem to find time to talk outside of those dreary biweekly State Security meetings. How are you? I feel like I've barely spoken to you since I came back to government.

SPEAKER 2: I'm well, Your Imperial Highness. I hope you are as well?

SPEAKER 1: Insofar as any woman of my age is, with grandchildren like mine. At any rate, as much as I'd love to catch up more [sigh] I'm afraid I asked you here about a more serious matter.

SPEAKER 2: What's that?

SPEAKER 1: The Chang'an data analysis and cyberdefense installation.

SPEAKER 2: Oh, that? [soft chuckle] Not a matter of concern, Your Imperial Highness. Our software engineers assure me that whatever unusual traffic was picked up there was probably just the machines adjusting to new deep learning systems, or somesuch technical nonsense. I thought I asked someone to send out a memo about it after the State Security meeting- it's quite resolved.

SPEAKER 1: Oh, I saw your memo. Your engineers are incorrect.

[long pause]

There's a matter that's been causing me a great many problems lately, Jianjun.

SPEAKER 2: ...What exactly do you mean, Your Imperial Highness?

SPEAKER 1: It's a matter that could embarrass someone very, very close to the Phoenix Throne. I hope I can rely on your discretion about this, but I feel like it's approaching a point where it's no longer avoidable.

SPEAKER 2: Of course, Your Imperial Highness. Always.

SPEAKER 1: His Radiance is having an affair with a woman. Not unusual, but the woman is, and if it were to become public knowledge there would be a scandal. Even if that publicity were confined only to the State Council, really.

[long pause]

SPEAKER 2: And you'd like my help ensuring that it doesn't become public.

SPEAKER 1: I am a grandmother and a patriot. Believe me when I say it is vital to the security of the dynasty itself that, at least for now, this not become common knowledge.

SPEAKER 2: [softly] Of course I'll help you if it's as bad as you say. [pause] May I ask who she is?

SPEAKER 1: Her code designation at present is 991 Chrysanthemum. I feel like that ought to be a decent hint for a man as shrewd as you.

[long pause]

SPEAKER 2: ...Are you serious? Her? When?

SPEAKER 1: At the state dinner in Baishadao. I can't say I understand it myself.

SPEAKER 2: You watched her people reduce half the country to rubble twice, and you somehow got on board with this?

SPEAKER 1: He is the Emperor. He is my grandson. [pause] I can't say I have any fondness for those barbarians, but you must admit the political match does have a certain appeal.

SPEAKER 2: Please tell me we're not already to the stage where they're legitimately considering a proper match.

SPEAKER 1: Love and young people, Jianjun. Strange things made stranger by strange times. Are you on board, then?

SPEAKER 2: [grunts, clears throat] Well, apparently I fucking am now. God, what a mess.

[Senkaku]

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

---

Tianjing
Hong Xuanzong Huangdi Housing Quarter
164 Jingcaixi Road

---

Meilin leaned against the wall as she reached down to yank off her heels, letting her aching feet spread out on the plush rug. With her shoes tossed to the side, she reached up and slipped the pin out of her hair, letting it cascade down past her shoulders. Her house was dark- it was nearly midnight, and she'd slept in a Ministry apartment in Chang'an the night before after a day full of meetings. With a sigh, she picked her briefcase up again and padded up the stairs to her bedroom. No meetings till 8:30 tomorrow, so let's get a nice long night of sleep!

The knob on her bedroom door twisted a little too smoothly, and the experienced spy who had taken up residence in Meilin's lizard brain immediately took note. Something is wrong. Someone has been here. She gently let the knob turn back to its original position and turned around, brow furrowed.

The door suddenly swung open, and Meilin swung a wild punch at whoever had just jumped out at her, opening her mouth to scream for help. But a strong hand suddenly clamped down around her mouth, and her bites met the tough surface of a leather glove. Her attacker twisted her head away, so she could not see them, and gripped her tightly, yanking her into the room. A blindfold was slipped over her eyes as she struggled, and then she felt her wrists being ziptied. No! What is happening? This isn't possible! Duct tape was slapped over her mouth, and suddenly she was being hauled to her feet, a strong hand on her shoulder. A cold ring of metal prodded her back. "Walk," a man's voice said. Meilin felt a cold shiver of fear, thinking of all the spies and traitors she had sent to the same fate, and did as she was told. The hand on her shoulder steered her out of the room and back down the stairs, then out onto her patio, while the gun stayed pressed into the small of her back.

Suddenly, the duct tape was painfully torn off and the blindfold whipped away, and Meilin found herself staring at Ai Jianjun and the Grand Empress Dowager, sitting in two of her patio chairs and regarding her with calm stares.

"Just what do you think you're doing?", she asked, voice quivering with cold rage.
"Presenting you with options, my dear," the Grand Empress Dowager replied lightly.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?", Meilin spat. "Are you arresting me? If not, why the fuck am I being manhandled in my own home?"
"Not arresting you," Jianjun said in a mild tone. "Though we will if you don't accept the proposition we're about to give you. You see, I know about the payments, Meilin."

Meilin felt a pit open up in her stomach. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't blame you at all, but the fact remains that at the end of the day it's embezzlement, no matter if it's being spent on fancy cars or on your uncle's cancer treatments. You know as well as I do what the punishment for corruption is- and your high rank means it would likely be even more severe."
"We have an offer for you, my dear," the Grand Empress Dowager interrupted. "Neither of us wants problems on the State Council and we're both admirers of your administrative capabilities in running your ministry."
Meilin drew herself up, clenching her teeth. "I'm not interested in whatever blackmail you have in store, Your Imperial Highness. I'm sure it will all be aired at my trial, though."
"A trial? What an amusing thought. Anyways, humor an old woman and hear out my offer." She tapped one long, red-lacquered fingernail on the arm of her chair. "My grandson the Emperor has made the youthful error of falling in love."
Meilin frowned, suddenly off-balance. What? Wait, what is this about?

The Grand Empress Dowager continued. "Unfortunately, the woman he has fallen in love with is problematic, and we cannot simply have her vaporized or persuaded against him- he is the Emperor, and she is, well- as I said, problematic. I had been going to say- help us deal with the complications of this imperial romance and there's no need for those unfortunate ledger shenanigans to cause problems for you."
"Who is she?", Meilin blurted out, confused, and the Grand Empress Dowager smiled.
"I thought you weren't interested, my dear?"
This is all she wants? She must be losing her touch in her old age. "Tell me what exactly it would entail, and I might be interested."
Jianjun shrugged. "Help us preserve His Radiance's discretion and safety. That's all."
"...including from the rest of the Council," Meilin finished slowly, staring at them as they each shrugged and looked back at her. "Who is she?"
The Grand Empress Dowager leaned forward, her voice growing more serious. "Are you in or are you out, Minister Ying?"
Meilin smiled slightly, her confidence building. This is nothing. This is better than nothing, I can fucking crush her with this. This is ammunition, this is the fucking jackpot. "I'm in."
"She is," the Grand Empress Dowager said, pausing slightly and tilting her head, "the Empress of Nematsu."
Meilin's jaw dropped, and Jianjun smirked at her.
"You're in now too, Meilin."

Heaven protect the Empire. What the hell did I just get myself involved in?

[Senkaku]

Dangerous Liaisons

---

Tianjing
Office of the Director
Research Office Wing
State Security Main Directorate
Capital Region, Songguo

---

"The First Minister's car is arriving now, Your Imperial Highness," Xilai said.

As her chief of staff closed the door to her office behind him, the Grand Empress Dowager nodded curtly and closed her laptop.

"Inform Director Ai and Minister Ying. You had the secure conference room cleared?"
"Yes, Your Imperial Highness. And I already have the minister and the director waiting outside it," he said, pulling out a binder. "I compiled all the relevant files in this, as you asked."

Yulan took it from him, leafing through surveillance camera and satellite photos and heavily redacted operational briefings. Xilai was used to her preference for printed materials by now. The paper was more solid than some digital file, something she could hold and keep her hands busy with- and something she could use as a weapon, as a mechanism of control to dominate the space around her. Papers could be waved, fanned out dramatically- far more effective than just turning on a computer screen.

"Very good. Is His Radiance on the way?"
"Yes." Xilai glanced down at his phone. "His motorcade is less than five minutes away."

---

Jinkai checked his watch as he got out of the limousine, a pair of aides piling out behind him. They scurried to keep up, springing along with light, youthful steps as the First Minister marched towards the enormous gray mass of the State Security Directorate's central offices. Hundreds of neatly regimented opaque black voids stared down at them, each window a perfect square, completely impenetrable to the outside world, and their reflections also stared up from the reflecting pool in front of the building. Jinkai and the two aides efficiently picked their way across the square concrete stepping stones that led directly across the pond- the First Minister leading the way and eschewing the normal route around the water.

After crossing the reflecting pool and surmounting the stairs to the main entrance, the doors, made of bulletproof mirrored glass that probably would serve to do one's makeup in, slid open silently ahead of his advance.

One of his aides took a few extra steps to come abreast with him, holding up her phone.

"Sir, I just got a text- apparently there's some sort of traffic activity heading towards us, a second motorcade."
Jinkai continued walking towards the elevators on the opposite side of the cavernous lobby, but he frowned. "A motorcade?"
"Yes, sir."
"Coming to State Security?"

A pair of men in dark suits demurely followed them into the elevator, though they seemed invisible for all the attention they garnered from the First Minister and his aides.
"Yes, sir," she said after a moment. "Someone just sent me a photo- it looks like a lot of cars."
Jinkai frowned as the elevator doors closed. "Call the office and see what's going on. I don't like unexpected things happening during already unexpected meetings, especially with the Grand Empress Dowager."

---

Yulan was stepping through the door of the secure conference room when one of the Research Office officials trailing after her and Xilai suddenly whispered in her chief of staff's ear. She glanced back expectantly at him as she proceeded in, giving Director Ai and Minister Ying each quick nods, and sat.

"The First Minister has just been informed of His Radiance's motorcade," Xilai murmured in her ear as the other two security chiefs stared at her. "One of his aides is trying to reach his office- they do not know who the motorcade belongs to. They're jamming the call- should I tell them not to?"

Yulan shook her head, and swiveled slightly to face Jianjun and Meilin as she set her binder down on the table. Xilai moved silently to the door, and Yulan suddenly frowned.

"Xilai, please have tea brought for everyone."
"Yes, Your Imperial Highness." He closed the door behind him, switching on the secure room's red indicator light, and Yulan cleared her throat and looked at her counterparts.
"Xilai was just telling me that His Radiance and the First Minister will be here shortly..."

---

"I can't get through, sir," the aide said in a tone of bewilderment as the elevator came to a stop. Jinkai picked unconsciously at his lip, brow furrowing, and looked askance at the two silent men in dark suits before pulling out a pen and scrawling a message on his palm.

I think they're jamming you. Be alert.

---

Xilai had just returned with a pot of scalding tea and set out several cups when the First Minister walked through the door. Jinkai looked troubled- his brow was furrowed, and he gave Xilai a distracted shake of the head as the Grand Empress Dowager's chief of staff motioned to offer to pour him a cup.

"We'd best get right down to business," he said, looking around the table at the three security chiefs. "What is this 'urgent matter' you needed to meet with me about?"

Yulan motioned for him to sit, and the Interior Security Minister and MSJ Director followed suit. "I appreciate you carving out some time in the middle of the day for us, Jinkai," she said politely. "Xilai has prepared some materials for us all to go over, but we're still waiting on one person. They should be along shortly."

The First Minister drummed his fingers on the table and offered a faint, empty smile. "Waiting on who?"

Xilai's phone buzzed, and a moment later he leaned in to whisper into Yulan's ear. "The motorcade has just pulled up."
She tilted her head back to offer an equally quiet response, while the First Minister stared impatiently from the far end of the table.

"Have someone out there take care of those aides he brought with him."
"I'll find... a more suitable waiting room for them. His Radiance's Tigers are taking their positions with the other security personnel."

Yulan smiled apologetically at the First Minister and held up a finger. The silence was so ferocious that, save for Xilai's quiet shuffling to the door, it seemed as if she had stopped time with a gesture.

---

His grandmother's chief of staff opened the door for him, and Aiguo stepped into the secure conference room. It was very brightly lit, like every room in the State Security Directorate, with energy-efficient LED panels in the ceiling seeming to scrub all shadows away. The First Minister turned towards the door at the sound of his entry, an expression of surprise and consternation flitting across his face before he stood along with Minister Ying, Director Ai, and the Grand Empress Dowager.

A smirk contorted his grandmother's lips for a moment, and Aiguo had to bite his tongue to prevent a similar grin from spreading across his own face as he walked over next to her and then turned to look back at the First Minister.
"Your Radiance," Jinkai said, his voice taking on the robotic quality of a man working very hard to hide his anger. "I wasn't aware we'd have the pleasure of your company."

"Glad to give you a pleasant surprise, First Minister," Aiguo replied coolly as he took the seat to his grandmother's right and motioned for the others to sit. He glanced at her, and she smiled at him.
"Lovely to have you, grandson. I believe we can start now."

She slowly, precisely, opened her binder, taking out a sheaf of papers and carefully ignoring the First Minister's angry stare. Then she snapped it shut and looked up, sliding it down the length of the table to rest in front of him.
"Read through that, if you could, Jinkai."
The First Minister began leafing through the binder, his ever-present frown deepening. "What am I looking at here?"

Interior Security Minister Ying cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable, and spoke for the first time. "His Radiance and Her Imperial Highness feel it is time to discuss the succession. Or, rather..."
"...the future of the succession," Aiguo finished softly. "Namely, my eventual marriage."

The First Minister did not answer, suddenly staring with a faint expression of shock and horror at something in the binder. After a moment, he snapped it shut and closed his eyes.
"You cannot be serious," he said in a voice quivering with tension.

"I'm afraid we're deadly serious, First Minister," Director Ai replied quietly.
"If you'd rather not discuss it, we can always discuss the succession of the premiership," the Grand Empress Dowager added gravely, her smugness and smiles wiped away.
"I will not sit here and be threatened!", Jinkai hissed. "This is absolute madness. You all must have known that- I cannot- no. No."

He stared around the table in amazement, then slammed his fist down and stared fiercely at the Grand Empress Dowager. "No. This- this same madness, the personal relationships of the monarch- this was the defining conflict of our youth. I will not allow His Radiance to make similar mistakes to his illustrious father, may he rest in peace."

There was a long, almost embarrassed silence. "Perhaps you will do us the courtesy of visiting one of our Antursine special facilities while you reconsider," Meilin said, tapping her pen against the table. "The cool sea air is good for the mind- I'm sure some of the men of the ISS or the Research Office's Internal Force would be happy to provide an immediate escort, if you wished to go on retreat there for a while." She ducked her head slightly, seeming embarrassed, and the First Minister slowly turned towards her.

"Am I too late, then? Does it matter? Are there already troops in the streets?", he asked.
"No," the Grand Empress Dowager said, and Meilin and Jianjun both nodded vigorously.
"Your opinion will be a significant determining factor in the... the degree of pacifism with which we proceed with this matter," Aiguo said carefully, picking his words as if dancing through a minefield.

"Do I have a choice at all, then?"

The Emperor raised an eyebrow, and then shook his head. "No, First Minister, I'm afraid you don't."

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

A Death From Within
Part One

3 January 2018
One Liberty
Spálgleann, Glytter

Despite the new calendar year, Foreign Minister Julie Royce had many of the same concerns she did months ago. Since October she had been very reluctant of the Taoiseach's decision to back-channel with the Farsi government and pursue a deal to end the regime over its illegal stockpile of chemical weapons. Her opposition was strong. She knew the move was dangerous and would have damaging political and diplomatic consequences. His chief of staff ultimately won out, and had more influence over the handling of the crisis than Royce. She submitted her resignation after she believed it spiraled out of control. However, O'Reilly refused to accept it. She was too valuable, he claimed. Yet, that did not stop him from continuing to sideline her on the first major foreign policy crisis of his administration. Since the deal was announced by the Farsi government just under two weeks ago fierce criticism of it had emerged. A series of leaks out of Clare House by officials frustrated by O'Reilly confirmed that Royce played no major role in the negotiations, deflecting most of the criticism to the diplomatically inexperienced Taoiseach.

Sarah Pingins, a longtime minister who currently headed up the National Security Ministry, was deeply concerned by Royce's letter of resignation. The two discussed the matter closely, sharing intimate details of the negotiations with one another. The two agreed that they shared an equal distrust of the influential McGovern and would continue to watch the unfolding crisis closely. O'Reilly's deputy, Fitzpatrick, shared their concerns. He joined the two ministers in advising O'Reilly against the move, but ultimately McGovern won out. The King served as a back-channel, a dangerous move that would explode if the public ever uncovered it, and a secret deal was negotiated with Fars through him.

Before Walker tenured her resignation, she privately established a "brain trust" to guide the young O'Reilly and mold him into the leader Walker knew he could be. This group was tasked with ensuring he stayed on track and governed responsibly. Fitzpatrick joined Royce and Pingins, but the quartet was made complete by Liberty Party chair Maude O'Kane. All four were close allies of Walker and experienced leaders who would be able to carefully guide O'Reilly along. However, emboldened by his victory, O'Reilly opted to instead heed the advice of his longtime friend McGovern over Walker's brain trust.

As criticism of the deal poured in from around the world, most notably from now EC President Walker, Royce and Pingins grew more concerned. It was time to clue in the party chair to fully activate the brain trust. Together, the group could most effectively combat McGovern.

"Unfortunately, it really is that bad" Royce told a shell-shocked O'Kane. "O'Reilly used the King as his back channel. I should have tendered my resignation in the moment to stop it, but I feared that, should he have accepted it, the government would have seriously mishandled the VredoChem Scandal".

"It seems that they did that anyway" O'Kane whimpered in response. "This is much worse than I could have ever imagined. McGovern and his rag-tag team of frat boys has hijacked Jimmy".

Pingins had been incredibly worried since she discovered the back channeling. It happened by chance. Royce mentioned it offhandedly, expecting the minister responsible for intelligence to know about the operation. But, Pingins was taken by surprise. It was then and there that the two women decided that they needed to act more carefully and pay better attention.

"I am unsure if I would go as far to say that" Pingins responded tactfully. "However, what is of deep concern is that O'Reilly generally talks a hands-off approach to these things. He lets his ministers pursue their agendas, which is how Centre ended up with free tuition as opposed to increased subsidies. But he has taken a particular interest in this crisis and has totally sidelined Julie on it. That is where McGovern's influence is so dangerous, he is the only one with Jimmy's ear on the subject. He's ignored both Julie and Malcolm on it and he doesn't even know I am aware of it, because he didn't tell me".

O'Kane had a reputation for calling it like it was. "McGovern has his hand shoved so far up Jimmy's ass that he's using him as a puppet on this issue" she replied. "But why, that is all I wonder. Why? What does McGovern gain from side-lining Julie on this, and why?"

"We are both unsure" the Foreign Minister replied. "I am inclined to say that McGovern is trying to eliminate high profile names. It would allow O'Reilly to assume total control of the party, like Alexis did".

The party chair paused for a moment. Oh god she thought to herself. She had been so flustered by the information shared with her that she briefly forgot her days as party chair were numbered. In fact, tomorrow was her last day.

"I have some, some poorly timed news" she said. "Alexis reached out to me recently. The ELP is unprepared to be a governing party in the way it now is. They are used to supporting their caucus and not much else. Their infrastructure reflects this and she wants to totally rebuild it. She asked me to come on as Director of Communications and I accepted. I've been planning on announcing my resignation tomorrow. The timing of this is all, it's a lot".

Pingins and Royce looked at each other and exchanged a brief look of fear before refocusing their attention on the party boss befor ethem

"Well, while the timing is not ideal, congratulations. We all know you are more than suited for the post, and due for a promotion" Pingins said somewhat reluctantly.

"I know I know, I just hate to be doing this now. My departure means that O'Reilly can better cement his hold over the party. It's a natural thing really, but Alexis originally wanted me around to keep on eye on him. Circumstances have changed though".

There was an awkward moment of silence as the three women struggled to proceed.

"I'll see what I can do to stall appointments and slow down his takeover" O'Kane continued. "If McGovern really is trying to push out the big names, I'll make sure to slow that down. He needs you though, Julie. Without you he has nothing for foreign policy. And with criticism coming in on this deal, and if it continues to pick up, he's going to desperately need you".

Pingins nodded in agreement. "That is most certainly true. I cannot foresee this getting any better either. This deal is a mess, and Clare House, and obviously you know this is not a personal criticism, has been as leaky as a sinking ship lately" she said.

"There are still Walker-Era, and by that I mean Casarnach-Era, appointments within Clare House who leak information in addition to your own staff. Imagine if Frank got a hold of this".

"Oh Jesus wept" O'Kane said before rolling her eyes. "That god damn snake".

"He's a formidable force. Neutered currently, but still dangerous" Royce remarked. "He poses the greatest threat to O'Reilly and is the only big name with any leadership ambitions. He's a chameleon too. Frank becomes what he needs to in order to get ahead".

"Yeah, we've seen him do that lately with his motley gang of idiots" O'Kane said, referencing the right-wing group led by the sacked foreign minister.

"They are able to stop government priorities unless the SDs lend us the votes though. Frank saw the national shift rightwards and moved himself that way" the Interior Minister added.

O'Kane agreed. "Yes, the National Party is a direct threat to our traditional conservative base. I do not think Jimmy is equipped enough to satisfy them the way Walker did, which worries me. But, that's the concern for his chair, not me".

"Politics aside", she continued, "this is deeply concerning. There is little I can do now that I am on my way to the continent, but you two must keep up your resolve. The unplanned leaks from Clare House have to stop. Sarah, I do hope you can perhaps pressure the SFB to investigate them and bring them to an end. If any officials start leaking information about this deal, it'll have O'Reilly in a bad way".

It was an undesirable situation for three of the country's most influential women. There was no clear remedy to the problem.

"We'll try and get through to Jimmy, but McGovern's influence is so strong I am not optimistic" Royce said.

O'Kane sighed. "Let's hope you're wrong".

[Senkaku]

Absolute Zero

---

Freedom did not taste sweet- it was equal parts fishy and gamey, a dark, savory, vivid taste, the first pulse of flavor that had brushed Shen Chuanli's tongue in years. The harp seal had taken its position on the ice, watching the camp with the self-assured confidence that the guards had once strutted with, only realizing after the crack of the rifle and spurt of blood that the tables had at last been turned on it. It was deliciously fresh, its youthful tenderness melting in his mouth.

It smelled like his lover Dewei's skin and hair, the two of them separated for months since the guards had finally fixed the broken camera that had allowed their fragile connection to persist, shielded like a flower under a glass dome from the howling Antursine wind. Dewei's new limp would improve, they hoped, in time, and the flower could now blossom in the unlikely subtropical hothouse it had now been transplanted to- an even more fragile self-made paradise.

It felt like his old fur hat wrapped snugly around his head, taken out of the meticulously organized inventory room and now bringing a foreign kiss of warmth to his perpetually-cold scalp at the height of the Antursine summer.

It sounded like music and laughter, incessant, frantic, going all hours of the day, even when the sun kissed the horizon or briefly dipped beneath it- years of happiness, compressed and pouring out in a rush like water from behind a bombarded dam.

It looked like Commandant Du's corpse, hung from the flagpole in front of the administration building, the flag wound up and knotted tightly around his neck, a few skuas pecking at the tender parts of his face.

He looked up from his seal as a distant chattering noise filtered past the occasional birdcall and the new, cheery buzz of the camp- the helicopters were back. He could see a few dots on the horizon, moving together, in a wide arc, over the ice fields, not coming towards them or preparing to land. Back again- I wonder when you'll come closer, old friends.

---

"Activity still seems normal- their sentries are observing us since we came into view," Zhou Tai nearly shouted into his microphone over the roar of the rotors, peering at the monitor that showed the display from the powerful cameras affixed to the helicopter's underbelly. As they banked, he tapped his control dials, angling the cameras slightly, and grimaced as he saw a now-familiar sight.
"Du is still up on the pole. I don't see any difference to the demands," he added, scanning the graffiti on the side of the administration building. The prisoners had scrawled ten-foot-high characters outlining their demands on its side- Tai couldn't imagine why the facility even had spray paint, but apparently they'd made use of it.

"Can you see any unusual behavior in the sentries?", the voice in his ear crackled. "Or any substitutions?"
"No, this is the normal midday shift. A few have cigarettes," he said, feeling a twinge of envy as he watched one of the prisoners in the guard towers lower her binoculars and take a drag.
"How do ice conditions look, still-"
"Wait a moment," Tai said, rotating the camera and frowning. "Wait a moment- it looks like there's a few people up on the communications mast."
"The communications mast? What, are they enjoying the view?", the voice said, offering a barking laugh.
Tai frowned as there was a quick flash from near one of them, and he quickly tapped a few buttons to zoom in. A welding mask?
They broke into maintenance equipment, I'm sure- but what are they doing with that?
"It looks like they're doing some sort of welding up there," he said uncertainly. "I can't imagine why."
"Welding? What do you mea-"

His earpiece filled with static, and the man in the welding mask took it off, smiling at the man across from him and saying something as he pointed at the ugly, squat little box that was now attached to one of the mast's girders. They should have sent a lip-reader, Tai thought, annoyed. "Xue Long, it looks like they've attached something to the communications mast. Near some of the transmitter antennae."

There was no reply, just static, like a thousand tiny helicopter blades beating in his ear. "Xue Long, do you read me?"
He frowned, and the helicopter suddenly banked sharply to the right, cutting off Tai's view of the camp. He changed channels, speaking to the pilot in the cockpit compartment, ahead of him. "Hey, what's happening? Do you copy?"
"I copy. Computers are picking up some sort of jamming, we've lost contact with Xue Long. I don't know what's up, but the flight leader is saying right now to head back to the ship."
"Copy that."

---

SPECIAL BRIEFING TO THE STATE COUNCIL

EYES ONLY: ADDITIONAL CONTROL- ACCESS BY ORDER OF INTSECMIN ONLY

Property of the State Council Archives · Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited · Internal dissemination prohibited

State Council Archives are classified and any sharing is prohibited under pain of death or extraordinary punishment. This file is only to be disseminated with the express authority of the Minister of Interior Security and should also be treated as property of the Interior Security Ministry and subject to all punishments associated with improperly handling sensitive Interior Security Ministry files regarding national security.

SPECIAL ANTURSINE DETAINMENT & LABOR FACILITY NO. 8, the Interior Security Ministry's primary high-security detainment facility for highly sensitive cases with unusual or valuable skills, has suffered catastrophic security failures and is presently under the control of its detainees. This state of affairs has now persisted for two (2) weeks and one day, and survey and probe flights from the icebreaker XUE LONG have now offered useful information for the Council's consideration as it deliberates on how to restore order.

The detainees have clearly articulated a set of demands, painting them on the side of buildings and via loudspeaker. The primary concerns are improved rations, deactivation or regulation of the PANOPTICON camera systems, greater autonomy to fraternize, stricter oversight of any abuses by guards, news from outside, new appeals on their cases (which are not to be interdicted by the Interior Security or Justice Ministries), and to speak to a member of the State Council to express their grievances. They have also made many broadcasts pleading for help over the radio transmitter, but fortunately no ships or aircraft besides those belonging to the government have been in range to detect them due to the remoteness of the region.

These demands are obviously unacceptable (the detainees were told via loudspeaker from a helicopter probe flight, the only one thus far to interact with them, that Tianjing would "require time to consider" them). The detainees have killed Commandant Du and displayed his body in a shameful and vulgar way (hung naked from the flagpole with the national flag), and killed a number of other guards (though a number were captured, then released and forced to trek until they could be rescued by helicopter). They also appear to be engaging in all manner of indecent revelry and improper behavior and have displayed manifestly improper political sentiments on posters and the like. Justice must be meted out, not absurd concessions.

The surviving guards state that the detainees have been increasingly resentful over the last few months as the newest variant of the PANOPTICON system has been phased in (the Interior Security Ministry intended to use the installation as a testbed for deployment in other camps), leading to an increase in punishments for disciplinary infractions that could now be detected. It is unknown how the detainees communicated to coordinate their efforts to overthrow the administration, but they successfully gained access to the camp armory and maintenance tool depot and launched a coordinated assault in the middle of the day on February 13th to kill or capture many staff. Several senior staff members were also captured, but the administration building and several other posts remained secure and a distress call was broadcast reporting a riot. The detainees, by guile, force, and use of hostages, managed to capture remaining strongpoints by that night and "executed" Commandant Du and several other captured staff members for alleged abuses and crimes (they also justify the murder of a number of guards by alleging abuse or crimes). Surviving staff were subsequently expelled and trekked some ways away from the camp before being recovered by helicopters from XUE LONG after she was sent to investigate and respond. No military action has yet been taken.

The detainees likely suspect that their demands will not be agreed to, as all are intelligent and many are political deviants, and there is evidence to suggest that they are preparing to defend the installation. Sentries, equipped with binoculars and the weapons of the former guards, have been posted around the clock, and recent reports indicate that some sort of modification has been made to the communications mast that jams XUE LONG's communications with any craft in line-of-sight of the camp. Other preparations may have been made but not detected.

SPECIAL ANTURSINE DETAINMENT & LABOR FACILITY NO. 8 has been a source of problems before in its twelve-year lifespan. Many have advised the Interior Security Ministry that putting so many dangerous individuals together is not a good plan for the stability of the facility and also advised a different method for implementing the PANOPTICON system. In light of these events, these decisions should probably be examined.

The recommendation of the analytical team responsible for this briefing is that XUE LONG be reinforced with a Special Forces unit, who will then launch an airborne operation (possibly supported by cruise missiles from the icebreaker or her escort frigate JINHAIQUE) to recover control of the facility and kill any detainees who do not surrender. Their special skills should no longer be of any consideration, as they now pose a grave threat. Of particular concern are their continued radio broadcasts, which XUE LONG and JINHAIQUE are not equipped to jam. The risk grows daily that a ship or aircraft from another nation will detect them, or that the detainees will make further modifications to the communications mast to reorient antennae to try and transmit upwards towards any listening satellites (research is ongoing regarding any satellites with Antursine orbits that would be able to detect and receive any transmissions). Any communication to the outside world by the detainees would obviously be a humiliating debacle. The analytical team thus also recommends an immediate air or missile strike to take out the communications mast (and the camp's geothermal plant, which provides heat and electricity).

[Senkaku]

The Horse's Head

---

The water lilies were closing up shop for the day as the sunset over the Coral Sea turned the reflecting pool red and gold along with the sky. Yulan sighed, stretching slightly as she adjusted the tablet on the table next to her so the speakers were a little closer. Kai, her youngest grandson, smiled on screen- she'd stopped paying attention to what he was going on about, but it was something about his economics class at university that he seemed excited about.

"...anyways- how's the weather been there?"
She smiled at him and turned the tablet so the front-facing camera could capture the lotus pond and the view over the sea. The palm trees waved in a very gentle sea breeze as a peacock on the palace grounds somewhere wailed. "It's been manageable. Certainly better than suffering through early autumn in the capital or Haixingwai, I can tell you!"
He chuckled as she turned the device back around. "It'll be nice to see you. I'm really glad you're doing better," he said, his brow furrowing and expression growing serious.
"Me too," she said dryly, and grinned at him. "What time did you say you're arriving again?"
He rolled his eyes. "Are you not wearing your hearing aids again?"
She snorted. "They're hearing aids, not memory aids. Maybe by the time you're 90 they'll make those."
"I'll be landing within half an hour, we're starting our descent now, and then what, a forty-five minute helicopter ride? Thirty if they have a military pilot?"
"Alright, well-"

Kai suddenly gave a cry, and there was a loud roaring noise from the speakers as the frame shook and his face blurred.
"Kai? What's-"
"Oh my god! What was that?", she heard him say, probably shouting up to the cockpit. His phone had evidently fallen- she could only see the ceiling of the cabin, the frame shaking as the pilot yelled back something indistinct.
"Kai! Grandson! What is happening? What is happening?", the Grand Empress Dowager repeated, raising her voice and taking on an increasingly alarmed tone before finally turning around to search for an attendant or servant to help. "Guards!"
There was more shaking and roaring, and she heard Kai scream for a moment before he picked up the phone, his face ashen, as the pilot's voice came through more clearly.
"...be able to set down there, the runway's long enough."
She heard footsteps pattering towards her, across the pool deck, as one of her Tiger Guards came running, but her attention was all on the screen. "Grandson, what's happened, are you alright?"
"Well- yes, I'm alright, the pilot says he thinks we can still land, but-"
He turned the camera around, out the window, and angled it towards the back of the plane. Smoke was vomiting from one of the jet engines, flames flickering here and there as the wingtips wobbled slightly.
"My God- you have parachutes, don't you?"
"Yes, Grandmother, and the pilot says the other engine is working, we'll be fine, I think I'll just be a bit late."
"Where are you setting down?", she asked, but he didn't have time to answer before she turned to the Tiger Guard who had just bowed to her and opened his mouth to speak. "Get me on the line with the Eastern Air Defense Command and have someone warm up the helicopter."
Kai smiled weakly. "I think it's alright, Grandmo-"
"No, absolutely not, absolutely not- I'm getting this sorted out. Now, you've been skydiving before and you have your guards, so I trust you'll bail out if you need to- give me a call if you do, though, it'd be frightfully inconvenient for you to have to stumble around in some rice field for hours or something. Now, what airport are you making for?"
"It's a bit north of Shanjin, I think- I'll call you back, the guards are saying to put my parachute on just in case."

The screen went black, and Yulan ground her teeth and nonchalantly tossed the device into the pond, crushing a lily pad.

Not two seconds later, her phone rang.
"Your Imperial Highness?"
Her chief of staff's voice. "What is it, Xilai?"
"I finally have the toxicology results from the hospital..."

---

[Senkaku]

Riposte

---

"First Minister, the Nematsujin chief inspector is expected to land shortly- your motorcade is ready," an aide's voice suddenly crackled from Jinkai's desk phone. The First Minister started slightly, then pressed the button next to the speaker.

"Got it- be out in just a moment."

"Alright, sir."

The First Minister drummed a pen against the teak desk and stared out the window at the honey-colored late afternoon light lancing through the trees around the Palace of the Grand Assembly. Peacock Lake Park's lush vegetation seemed out of place with the backdrop of the looming concrete blocks of ministries and government offices, and further beyond the regimented platoons of apartment buildings glinting in the golden sun.

With a sigh, Hao Jinkai rose to his feet, ignoring the slight ache in his knees as he headed to the door. Several aides were immediately around him, chattering away as he nodded and responded on autopilot- missiles, inspectors, who really cares? It had been a long day, and Jinkai was tired. Let's go meet the inspector, show him about, and get the day over with.

They hustled through the office, down the sweeping staircase and out into the courtyard. Jinkai glanced up from the documents he had in his hand- a line of black SUVs gleamed ahead, the shadows of the trees behind them playing with the reflections off their windows. To his left, he could see the road stretching to the gates at the edge of the park and the city and the monorail beyond, and behind him, the palace loomed large, its imposing bulk a reassuring presence somehow in the warm autumn air.

He stepped into the SUV, flopping into the seat with a listless exhale, and wordlessly accepted the coffee that the young aide next to him offered up. He snapped his seatbelt into place and lifted the coffee cup to his lips as the door slammed shut just to his left. The engines revved, and he heard the sirens start as he took a sip- and then.

Then the coffee cup was torn out of his hand, and he was sharply shoved to the right. He gasped reflexively and shut his eyes as the loudest noise he'd ever heard suddenly shook his entire body, the whole world tilting to the right and roughly slamming him against his seatbelt. When he opened his eyes, gasping, his ears were ringing- he was hanging awkwardly from his seatbelt, the world tilted ninety degrees to the right. The young aide next to him was gushing blood from a neck wound, ineffectually pawing at it, and Jinkai noticed both of them were covered in glass- the windows were gone. What's happened?

He unclipped his seatbelt, grabbing the headrest with one hand to steady himself as he reached down and knelt over the bleeding aide. The young man's desperate eyes met his, and Jinkai simply nodded sharply, putting his hands just below the man's Adam's apple to the perforation and applying pressure, trying to stop the bleeding. The world was still soundless, but Jinkai felt vibrations and suddenly looked up- faces, hands reaching, mouths moving. He tried to form the words and point to the young man, indicate that he needed help, but everything felt fuzzy, looked gray, and the words felt oversized in his mouth. He realized his leg felt warm- the same wet warmness that was still running between his fingers.

---

The world was fading in and out- he was slumped over the young aide, slumped against the side of the car, then rising up like an angel or a dragon, as if by magic. He rose out of the car, then somehow he was on the pavement outside. Was it a dream? Did I trip and fall or something? But the world had sound again now, although it had a blurred, underwater quality to it, and he could hear the ripping noise of automatic gunfire, the roar of flames and whoosh of rockets, the screams of the wounded and the dying. Am I back on Kaizhou, somehow? What is happening?

---

Next he knew, his face was bouncing against someone's back, someone running- running away from the road, into the courtyard, back towards the palace. He could see his car- on its side, smoke and flames billowing from it and intensifying with every passing second. He couldn't even make out the car behind it, it was so completely engulfed in fire, but there were bodies everywhere, and he saw a motorbike suddenly zip past. The man on it was brandishing a machine pistol, and Jinkai saw the little black eye at its tip point towards him and turn white.

He looked down at the legs carrying him, and blood suddenly gouted from one, a beautiful mist of crimson droplets that shone like rubies in the sun and the light of the flames. The bone shards that accompanied them looked like chips of marble, and a sudden warbling scream in his ear rapidly rose from choking to operatic- and he was suddenly falling, and the world faded out again.

---

"First Minister, can you hear me?"

---

"First Minister, can you hear me?"

---

Jinkai could taste his own blood, and abruptly closed his slack mouth as the voice from above hit him- he was laying in a spreading slick of it. More automatic gunfire chattered in the background as he blacked out again, his curiosity still unsatisfied. An explosion shook the courtyard and he had a vague sense of movement, then of jets or some aircraft passing closer and closer.

---

He had sound again- someone was talking about low blood pressure, some number of cc's of plasma, but all he could do was stare out the helicopter window. How did I get in a helicopter? Outside, he could see the Palace of the Grand Assembly from above, smoke vomiting from some of its windows and sending a spreading black shroud up into the sky. More smoke plumes were rising from in front of his office and the courtyard.

Well, I guess she's not pulling her punches, he reflected, and passed out again.

---

[Senkaku]

Parrot

---

"Do you ever wonder what would've happened if he'd lived?"

The perfect white rectangle, three feet high, two across, eight inches thick, was indistinguishable from the ones around it, save for the bright gilding of the characters engraved in its sparkling surface, and the gorgeous orchids and rare blooms bundled in a fresh arrangement right in front of it.

Yulan looked around, staring down the seemingly endless row of graves, tombstones stretching off down the hill, Songguo's army formed up in death just as they would have been in life on their victory parade after the end of the Kaizhou campaign. Somewhere way in the distance, a parrot was squawking in the steamy island jungle that the vast cemetery had been carved out of.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?", she muttered, turning back towards her granddaughter. Mei frowned at her and shook her head, shrugging.

"I was just saying I wonder what would've happened if he'd lived. I'm sure the thought has gone through your head a thousand times- I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandmother."

"No, that's alright," Yulan said, offering a tight smile and then snorting. "It's been so long since I've been back here, I'm just distracted."

Then, blurting it out, for reasons she didn't know- "You know, they're not even sure if that's his body in there." She rolled her eyes and held her hands up in a placating gesture at her granddaughter's instant look of surprise. "I mean, the doctors were 85%, 90% confident it's him, but he was with several other soldiers, and the explosion disfigured them all quite badly."

Mei was silent for a moment. "I didn't realize. How awful."

"It was," Yulan said pensively. "I can talk about it now, obviously, but for the longest time I couldn't bear to think of it. That beautiful face, my baby boy's face, just... shredded. Like paper." She looked down at the headstone and sighed. "But even if that's not him in there, he's in here somewhere. And we come here to honor him especially, but all of these men."

The two women stood in silence for a moment, listening to the distant fuss of the parrot and the whistle of the wind.

"As for what would've happened if he'd lived- well, I don't know. It's hard to say how someone would've done as emperor when they get blown to smithereens before they can form any real political opinions," Yulan said wryly. "But he was a good boy. A smart boy. I think he'd've done well. But so was your father, and it still took a lot of suffering to even sit on the throne, to say nothing of what's happened since."

Yulan suddenly cleared her throat loudly and looked up, and Mei moved a little closer and put her hand on her grandmother's shoulder, looking down at the orchids. They were silent for another long moment before a single choked sob escaped the Grand Empress Dowager's mouth.

"I won't let that happen to you or your brother, you understand?", the old woman whispered.

"I know, Grandmother," Mei said, drawing her into a hug. "I know."

"I mean it, granddaughter. Whatever it takes," Yulan said, tears running down her cheeks despite her best efforts. "Chairman Hao- anyone, I won't allow it."

"I know, Grandmother," Mei repeated quietly. They stood like that for a moment longer, Yulan shaking slightly and closing her eyes as the tears spilled out and Mei gently stroked her hair.

"He was only 18," she sobbed. "My firstborn. My baby boy."

"I know, Grandmother," Mei said soothingly, cradling her like a child. After a while longer, Yulan managed to compose herself a little, and the two women peeled apart, Yulan looking off down the rows and rows of graves and Mei staring at her grandmother with an inscrutable expression. The parrot had stopped squawking.

"Do you have my eyedrops with you?", Yulan finally asked. "I don't want the guards to see my eyes all red like this," she managed to whisper. Mei nodded, handing her the little bottle, and took her hand after the old woman put a few drops in each eye.

"Thank you for bringing me with you, Grandmother," she finally said. "I... thank you. It means a lot."

"I'm not always so dramatic," Yulan said, clearly slightly embarrassed as she took out a beautifully painted fan and inhaled deeply. "It's just-"

"It's been five years since you've been back. I understand," Mei said with a slight smile. "It's a hard thing."

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES

---

Part I | Part II | Part III

---

---

Spálgleann, Glytter
18 July 2018 10:49 EST
Leslie Residence - Fitzgerald Street

"I just don't like it, I don't" the soft-spoken, middle-aged and balding man said. "It's so disgraceful, so disgusting so, so" he paused searching for his words.

"Despicable" his younger colleague finished for him.

"Yes, yes. Despicable, thank you Robert". Dónal Mac Diarmaid was a reserved man. He kept to himself, sharing little more than he had too. Never seeking fame, he oft went unseen and unspoken. After years in the civil service, he gave running for the Comhthionól a go. He had enjoyed serving in student government and partaking in mock-Tionól in secondary and tertiary school and had joined his university's Children of Liberty chapter as a favor to a friend, so he figured he might as well give politics a go. Dónal never really sought out his seat, but to his surprise he was chosen to represent Longford West in 2007. He was part of the Middle's clean-sweep of the party ranks, engineered by Walker. A Cabinet post was never in his sights, he was happy with his committee chair. However, after the 2017 election he was tapped to lead the Ministry of Culture to finish out the millennium celebrations and oversee the 2018 Invictus Games. With the fall of O'Reilly he was downgraded, but spared from the purge that took out many of his colleagues. He now headed the Ministry of Urban Affairs and Municipal Relations, a rather useless cabinet post but one that Dónal had taken a liking to. Joined by Kean and Leslie, he was one of the lucky ones.

"That man is a god-damned fiend, that's what he is" the third man replied.

Leslie saw it differently.

"Frank is a vengeful snake. Everything he does is motivated by his greed and his need for revenge. Ultimately, that will be his downfall. If he knew what I know" the Children's Minister finished. He hated Frank Casarnach with every fiber of he being. Leslie was one of O'Reilly's closest allies and has fallen far from where he was. As Trade Minister he was sure to be Finance Minister down the road after Cullen had buggered off or even better, Foreign Minister.

He was fuming over Casarnach's move to sack the members of the Citizenship Test Commission. He knew what that meant, he knew the immigration reform O'Reilly worked so hard for and cared so much for was in trouble.

Kean interjected, hoping to calm his friend. "Now, Alastar. Perhaps it is best that no one knows what you know".

"And why is that? Frank broke the law, he took money illegally, illegally, from the lobbying group his wife worked for. Now she's the party chair. If you don't think they're still getting paid off you're wrong".

"Yes but" the Culture Minister said somewhat assertively, hoping to change course and return to discussing immigration reform.

"But what?" Leslie quipped.

"The party, Alastar. Think of the damage that would do to all of us, think of what it would do to party. We're still weakened by that whole diplomatic bag nonsense. I swear I found more grey hairs after that than I ever had before. Another scandal would shake the party to its core, and with the Flowerites and right-wingers in charge of a caucus of moderates well, it doesn't bode well".

"Fuck the party".

Mac Diarmaid was visibly shocked.

"Now Alastar, I think I agree with Robert here".

"But why? Our party is Frank's party now. His bitch of a wife is the bloody chair now. He's put his market-goons at the reins. I mean, Dumfries is in fucking finance, finance!" Leslie exclaimed before taking a pause.

"I'm getting ahead of myself. There's no point in acting alone, if you two don't want me to".

"Not yet" Kean said. He was worried. As one of Liberty's most popular TCs he knew his career would be impacted the most by any drastic changes brought about by infighting. The SDs were on the rebound, and had - for the first time in almost twenty years - over taken Liberty consistently in the polls. It was inevitable that Liberty would lose in 2022, he thought. Fine by Robert, he was positioned to become Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition. A successful Invictus Games under his belt would only help.

"Well, I want that racist bastard to know we are opposed to him and his attempts to sabotage the IRA. I'll raise hell on Monday, I hope you'll join me".

The other ministers both nodded in agreement. "Of course we will, Alastar. What he's doing is wrong, he's dismantling all Jimmy has left and I won't stand for that" Kean said in reply.

"Agreed. In addition, it's simply poor governance. Sabotaging a law before it even takes effect, moving to repeal a law passed just a few months ago by this coalition? It looks as bad as it is" Mac Diarmaid said, planning to go quiet once more.

"Yes, yes I agree. I'll talk to Kelley over at GBF. Make up some bullshit that was said at this meeting, have him publish it. Frank isn't the only one who can manipulate the press" Leslie responded as he stoop up, pacing around the parlor. He walked over to a side table and poured three glasses of whiskey. Alastar knew that Casarnach couldn't resist revenge. He hoped to bait him into lashing out, he hated his Cabinet post anyway so what did he have to lose. Frank stuffed him away at a ministry to keep him happy, and it was working until he started toying with the IRA. What was the point of leading a ministry that was gutted by Dumfries, Leslie had remarked.

"We'll get him eventually" he said as he gave his colleagues a glass.

"I'll drink to that" Kean said cheerfully as he raised his glass.

[Senkaku]

52-Hertz Whale
Part One

---

Tianjing
Capital Region, Songguo

---

Min Tiankai pursed his lips and sighed as he stepped out from behind the door, back towards his bed, over the first man's body, and lowered his pistol so the tip of its suppressor hung down just below his knee. His bedroom door was open, with a pair of bullet holes clean through it and a few spatters of blood, but most had gone all over the wall or was now pooling on the hardwood floor, threatening the carpet next to his bed. The second man was laying motionless in the doorway on the opposite side of the door from where he'd been standing, just behind the first- luckily, both shots through the door had found their mark, and bits of brain and skull were sprayed at head height on the door jamb.

Tiankai, behind the door, listened carefully from down the hall, towards his office and the living room- sure enough, he could hear rustling and low voices. The sound of three suppressed gunshots did not seem to have perturbed anyone, which at least gave him a few moments of time to prepare. He quickly went to the window above his bed, opening it, and then checked his gun as he walked back to the bedroom door. He still had five bullets in his gun, and one spare clip tucked into the elastic waistband of his underwear- the only clothing he was wearing. He stooped to quickly rifle through the men's pockets and glance at their clothes, trying to see what information he could glean- there was no identification or labeling, but everything about them obviously screamed Songhua intelligence or police. They carried suppressed sub-machine guns- too loud and too imprecise for his taste.

Tiankai rose, debating his options- there were other men still in his house, and they were certainly here to kill him.

The MSJ colonel frowned, peeking out into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear. Further down the hallway was the guest bedroom, which was closed and silent as the grave. Towards his office and the living room and kitchen, though, he could see the lights were on, and he could still hear low voices as the intruders presumably ransacked his files. Raising his gun, Tiankai padded silently towards the source of the light and noise- the door to his office was open, and he could hear low men's voices- it sounded like two, but it could be more. He froze just outside the door, steeling himself, and then stepped into the room, pistol raised.

Three soft pops- one for the man sitting with his back to the door, facing his computer monitor, which was immediately blasted with blood and brains and bone fragments, and two to the center mass of the man standing next to him, rifling through one of his cabinets, who glanced up as Tiankai came in and started reaching for his gun. The man gave a choked cry before a third round to the forehead dropped him on top of the desk with a crash, knocking the bloody computer monitor to the ground even more loudly. Tiankai winced, muttering curses, and hurriedly changed clips- no way whoever was in the living room wouldn't have heard that. He stepped back into the hallway, darting as quickly as he dared into the bathroom just opposite the office.

Faint footsteps soon began coming his way from the living room as the sounds of ransacking and any chatter suddenly ceased. Tiankai, struggling to control his breathing as adrenaline pumped through his body, stepped away from the door into the bathtub, crouching so as to be almost invisible in the darkened room from the hallway.

"...and stay quiet," came a more distinct murmur from down the hall, as long shadows presumably cast by the living room lamps appeared in his narrow field of vision on the hallway's walls. A lone figure moved past, and he heard a soft curse just after the man moved out of sight.

"Fuck. Cheng and Bai are down." The man moved back across Tiankai's view, heading towards the others.

"Shit," another voice said grimly. "Lao and Wong must be down too. He's somewhere in the house."

"He can't have gone far," a third voice said more authoritatively, though still in a near-whisper. "Call Ding and Qin and tell them to come inside and help us search- we'll just move down the hall."

Tiankai frowned. This is awfully sloppy for an ISS or Research Office kill squad. Not out of the question, I suppose, but- really? More urgent matters were at hand, though- against three, he already had slim odds, but against five he would almost certainly be doomed. He rose, tiptoeing across the tile to the bathroom door, and raised his gun again, quickly calculating about where the men had to be standing based on the sound of their voices.

He stepped out, gun raised, and quickly found his marks- one managed to squeeze off a three-round burst from a suppressed sub-machine gun, but it went wildly off into the floor and the wall as he went down from a bullet clean through his throat and spine. In perhaps the span of half a second, all three men had absorbed one round each, beginning to crumple to the floor, and only then did Tiankai's laser-focused gaze alight on the fourth man, just stepping into the hall from the living room.

There was a split-second volley of gunfire, and Colonel Min's gun clicked empty as the man collapsed like a marionette with his strings cut, his first hurried burst of three going wide and a second sustained five-round blast putting some new holes in the ceiling. He muttered another curse, stooping to pick up one of the dead men's guns- no way anyone outside wouldn't have heard all the gunfire at this point. At least now he was reasonably confident no one else was in the house- time to get out of here. He scurried back to his room, grabbing his go bag from the closet, and ran back to the living room, gun in hand as he peered through the curtains out to the street. A pair of black SUVs were parked out front behind his car, idling- two armed men were standing out with them, but they appeared to be talking, and one was walking up towards the house.

Colonel Min hefted his bag and headed to the kitchen and the door to the side yard- all locked up as usual, unlike the front door, which had been wide open and letting a cool evening draft into the living room. He opened the door, scurrying out into the garden and onto the lawn, and peered at the two men and the cars from behind a rhododendron bush. One appeared to be pulling out a phone, while the other was continuing to advance towards the front door. Tiankai raised his gun, praying to gods he didn't believe in and ancestors he didn't like, and let off a quick burst at the nearer man as he approached the entrance to the house. The second man straightened up, staring towards the source of the noise and drawing his weapon, but a longer, sustained burst quickly dropped him and shattered the right rearview mirror of the second SUV, which he had been standing beside. The MSJ colonel sprinted towards the two cars, unleashing a wild burst towards the rear car, which had begun to accelerate after the second guard fell.

Tiankai's gambit was successful- the rear SUV continued to accelerate, its dead or wounded driver pressing down on the gas pedal, but it did not peel out into the street. Rather, it nudged the first SUV straight into Tiankai's parked sedan, forcefully enough to set off the blue VredoWagon's car alarm. As he drew nearer, he ran around the back of the rear SUV, firing through the driver's side window to finish off whoever was inside if they were still alive. The lead SUV's driver, meanwhile, had put it in gear and was desperately trying to extricate the car from the vise it was in, but not quickly enough- Tiankai pounded on the window, pointing his gun. He could vaguely make out a man's frightened face through the tinted glass. Can't have a car with bullet holes, so gotta risk it for the biscuit! Hopefully he's sensible enough to go for it but not sensible enough to have his gun out already, if they gave him one.

"Open the door and I won't kill you! I'll only say it once!"

The man opened the door, unbuckling, white with terror, and Tiankai ripped him out of the car, threw him onto the street, and unceremoniously shot him in the face before throwing his bag in the passenger seat, putting the car in gear, and peeling out.

---

[Senkaku]

52-Hertz Whale
Part Two

---

Qin Siming State Security Center
Tianjing
Capital Region, Songguo

---

"Are you listening to me, young lady?!"

Ying Meilin raised her eyebrow at that, looking up and setting her phone down on the desk. "Of course I'm listening, Your Imperial Highness," she said as evenly as she could as the old woman stared angrily at her. "As I've said several times now- you'd be better off asking Jianjun about this Colonel Min, I'm sure he's more familiar with his work and whereabouts, since he's an MSJ officer."

The Grand Empress Dowager threw her hands in the air, shaking her head in amazement and annoyance. "I'm not asking you where he is, I'm asking why Interior Security has censored a police report about a disturbance at his house! And why the Research Office is being blocked from an apparent crime scene!"

The Interior Security Minister sighed and rolled her eyes. "Your Imperial Highness, as I've repeatedly emphasized, criminal investigation isn't really the Research Office's purview. I was told the Metropolitan Police and the MSJ asked us to censor that report, and I haven't given it a second thought; I don't even know what happened, besides what you've mentioned about Colonel Min going missing and there was a disturbance at his house."

Yulan narrowed her eyes at Meilin's insolent eye-roll, and drew herself up to wag a finger in the younger woman's face. "When I talk to Jianjun, if I find out that you're trying to pull a fast one on me, there will be serious consequences!"

"Your Imperial Highness, I have no reason to be hiding anything," Meilin replied in an exasperated tone. "I don't know what Min was working on or whatever, but if you're this agitated about him going missing I think I'd like to ask for a briefing on it! I'll go see if the Censorate Bureau can get a quick turnaround on the police report for you, if it bothers you that much- I just don't think it's the Research Office's place to be getting too involved in criminal investigations."

Yulan was already halfway out the door. "We'll talk later!", the Grand Empress Dowager growled as she stormed out.

---

Yulan glowered at the reflecting pool outside the State Security Directorate as she stared down at it through the window, listening impatiently as the phone continued to ring. Finally, she heard someone pick up.

"This is Jianjun, who's calling?", a cheerful voice came from the other end, raised over the sound of wind and music.

"God, where are you? I can barely hear you," Yulan said.

"What's that?"

"It's Zili!", she barked, frustrated. "What are you doing? I need to talk to you, it's important."

"I was just at the governor's house for dinner, I'm driving home- taking the new car for a spin! I'll call you back in ten minutes." There was a click, and Yulan sighed in frustration. Driving himself? With all the new security measures since my botched hit on Jinkai? And it sounded like he had the windows or the top down, too. At least the dumbass had the good sense to hang up on me instead of talking and driving.

---

Ai Jianjun smiled as his new Wuchang A450 hummed along the winding road, past rows of trees turned into elegant black silhouettes against the dark blue-gray, cloud-covered sky by winter's chill. In the summertime, this winding road was leafy, sun-dappled, but even in the Southern Hemisphere's winter it managed to retain a pleasant, graceful vibe as it curved between the well-appointed subdivisions of the neighborhoods that housed Tianjing's wealthiest.

The cold winter air blasting through the open windows was delightful, even if it was probably making his chief bodyguard in the passenger seat sweat bullets. Jianjun had even put on some music, cranking up the volume and smiling as the car's speakers blasted away.

As the sleek, royal blue sports car came around the next bend, tail lights suddenly came abruptly into view, and Jianjun tapped on the brakes- he'd barely noticed he'd been speeding, and the A450 began to slow as it rapidly gained on the black van ahead of them. The MSJ director began tapping the steering wheel along with the beat of the song that was playing, humming to himself.

"Actually, you're right, Zhou, I'm getting cold, let's roll these up," he decided. The van began to pick up speed, perhaps noticing his lights appearing in the mirror, and Jianjun tapped the gas, letting himself tailgate a little as the windows sealed up and the rush of the cold air abruptly ceased.

Suddenly, the back doors of the van swung open, and it slowed abruptly. Jianjun's eyes widened, but before he could do anything, muzzle flashes appeared out of its dark interior.

---

The A450 accelerated as bullets plowed through its windshield, knocking into the van's rear bumper as the sound of automatic gunfire tore through the peaceful night air. The van accelerated too, pulling away as Director Ai's car suddenly swerved out of control into the empty left lane, then plunged off the road. It plowed into a 70-year-old sycamore tree at 54 miles per hour, and, riddled with bullets that had torn through the engine and gas tank as well as the passenger cabin, immediately burst into flames.

The van disappeared around the next curve and into the night.

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES

---

Part I | Part II | Part III

---

Spálgleann, Glytter
22 July 2018 23:26 EST
Loveland House

A puff of light grey smoke filled the room as Frank tapped his cigarette, the fifth one so far, against the clear ashtray on his desk. Smoking inside Loveland had been prohibited for a number of years. The ban was consistent with the policy of the Royal Registry of Historically Significant Places, which banned smoking in all registered landmarks. Loveland House was one of those landmarks, but Frank cared little for meaningless rules like that. Besides, he was the Taoiseach. If anyone from the Registry interjected, he'd make sure they were out of a job. Frank's vindictive nature was not merely limited to politics, it knew no bounds. His political rise only emboldened him further, making a man many thought to be universally insufferable all the more so.

"Claire" he said an air of disappointment in his voice. "Do you honestly expect me to pay any attention to that child's temper tantrum?"

His wife sat in a chair by the window, across the room from his desk. She paused before answering, taking a sip of her gin and tonic before offering a response.

"Yes. I do. He could be troublesome" she replied.

"Bah" Frank said dismissively.

"I mean it Frank, I really do" Claire said putting her glass down. "Leslie should not be underestimated. He's stayed in line so far, but clearly that's coming to an end. You won't be able to undermine the IRA without objection or confrontation at Cabinet meetings".

Frank took another puff of his cigarette.

"And why do you think I limit his platform to the Cabinet? He never partakes in Questions, he never gets to speak within the party, and now he leads a gutted ministry. I give him what he wants, a seat at the table, a higher salary than others. Maybe one day he'll make something of himself, but he's still searching for his balls. Unlikely he'll find them while I'm still around" he said in response.

Claire stood up from her chair and began pacing back and forth. She was worried, and rightfully so. While Leslie posed no eminent threat, he had potential. It was no secret he resented Frank for what happened to O'Reilly. His demotion didn't help, either. Unlike Kean, he was given an irrelevant post. Leslie drew a line in the sand, and that worried her. Besides, as party chair infighting was never good. "You're comfortable, Frank. It's finally happened to you, after all these years".

Frank reclined in his chair and laughed. "Ha, hardly. You overestimate a child, Claire. A weak child at that. He has no one in the Cabinet, he's alone and isolated. And I've heard that Jimmy, god-willing, will be resigning as a TC at the end of the year. Let's hope he expedites the process and bows out with the summer recess".

"And what of Kean and Mac Diarmaid? I'm sure you saw Kelley's story about their outrage" she questioned.

"Oh please. Kean cares too much for his self-preservation to go against me. Minister of Culture during the Invictus Games is a gift I've given him. He knows it. And, perhaps more importantly, he got it because I like him. He isn't am empty suit like O'Reilly or a child like Leslie. What was the second one you mentioned?" he asked rhetorically.

"Mac Diarmaid"

"I wasn't actually asking you, Claire" he said before taking another puff of his cigarette. I was making a point. Mac Diarmaid is nobody, he's useless. He's a boring bureaucrat, it's not surprise he hasn't ended up in Kesselbourg yet. He has the personality. What's he realistically going to do to me? What's he capable of Kean won't commit suicide by challenging me over the IRA. If only Centre and the god-damned Glytter Democrats would let me repeal the damn thing. If I had my way".

Frank put her in an awkward position. While her loyalty ultimately lay with him, she did have to look over the party. She preferred a slow purge of the ranks, slowly picking up TCs that were in-line with her husband's agenda. Frank longed for another approach. "The FMP has shattered and there is no one else for you to coalition for, your dream of a Liberty-Nats coalition is just that".

"Yes, yes I know. Please, I've seen the polls. The SDs actually picked someone competent to rebuild them. Why do you think I throw my ministers at him during Questions? Anyway, enough of that. Leslie won't do anything. He'll scream and shout tomorrow like the child he is, but that is all. And if he doesn't stay in line, well" Frank paused as he extinguished his cigarette, crushing the butt in the process.

"We'll deal with him".

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES

---

Part I | Part II | Part III

---

Spálgleann, Glytter
23 July 2018 13:38 EST
Loveland House

"A resounding success on that front" the Laird Dunbroch bellowed. "Etruria's acceptance of the olive branch you offered is a major diplomatic victory for this government. That O'Reilly gave us a problem and we've fixed it. Our diplomatic reputation is bruised yes, but it's healing. In time it will be back to what it used to be, thanks to the careful and calculated diplomatic initiatives of this government".

Leslie rolled his eyes as the old aristocrat spoke. Dunbroch was an old man, often an angry man, but when he was propagating he was fully in character. The swipe at O'Reilly did not sit well with him. That O'Reilly. The disdain in the Foreign Minister's voice said it all. Leslie had always known the fact that O'Reilly was half black would present 'problems' for him within the party's ingrained old guard. He over came that at the Convention, but the racism never went away. Behinds the scenes Leslie knew it was much worse, but with O'Reilly out and Casarnach in it was out in the open. It did not help of course that Frank chose a bunch of right-wingers from the party ranks to filly Cabinet posts.

"We can proceed with restoring diplomatic ties as planned, and that should be done, ideally, before the Invictus Games. The games are endemic to Etruria, and it would be a sign of goodwill. Perhaps a personal invitation to Caracetta is in order" the Foreign Minister finished.

Scoffing, Leslie interrupted. "Are you serious? Extending that man an invitation to Glytter because sanctions worked?"

"Really, there is no indicator that sanctions are the reason he came to the table" Ronan Kiley, the Trade Minister, said. "Frank's offer t-"

He was abruptly cut off by the Children's Minister. "No, they did work. They caved to EC demands, it's in their own bloody press that they feared further sanctions. They're an export economy, and a ban on importing their goods into the Common Market would unleash havoc on their economy. You know that as bloody well as I do" Leslie said pointedly. Before his demotion, he served as Minister of Trade and Tariffs - a post he quite enjoyed.

The young minister's eyes shot to the Taoiseach, who was seated at the middle of the table. Casarnach was quiet, waiting for the right moment to interject. With no indication that he was about to do so, Leslie continued.

"I don't mean to interrupt your praise of the Taoiseach for too long, but if you recall, and I know Dunbroch cannot as he was asleep in a corner, it was not the Taoiseach's idea. It came from Walker as part of the coordinated EC response to Etruria at Demora. If Frank had gone".

"And if I had gone the optics would not have been there. It was essential to set the stage before I reached out to Carcetta, offering him a truce" Casarnach said in response, leaning forward into the table, locking his eyes on the Children's Minister.

"Now, I don't want us to get lost in the details of the past. What matters is the present. August will be a busy month for us, with the games pending. Minister Kean" the Taoiseach was cut off by Leslie.

"Of course, the Invictus Games. Another distraction from what we should be discussing at this meeting".

The Tánaiste and Interior Minister exchanged looks. They were both deeply worried by the pending confrontation. They had seen it boiling over in the press and knew what was coming.

"I think it would be best to maintain civility" Cúan Ó Domhnaill, the Tánaiste and Education Minister, interjected.

Leslie quickly turned his attention to his young colleague. "Civility? In the Cabinet of Frank Casarnach? You must be joking" he said with a laugh. "There is nothing civil about that man" he continued, refocusing his attention to the Taoiseach who now wore a grin on his face. This enraged Leslie further.

"The Taoiseach is sabotaging legislation passed by his own party. He does not want to discuss it because he knows he cannot defend his actions, and all the while his junior coalition partners sit there cowering. So desperate to retain power that they let him walk all over them, shredding legislation they claim to be proud of".

The Interior Minister, taking a defensive stance, interrupted. "Now that isn't Fair, Minister Leslie, and you know that. The Glytter Democrats join the Centre Party in strong opposition to any efforts to repeal the IRA. We have not addressed it for the same reason you have not, the decision was announced after last week's meeting of the Cabinet".

"Ms. Ní Briain, with all due respect" Kean said. "You and the Tánaiste were present at the meeting of select ministers after last week's regular meeting of the Cabinet. You were consulted, so forgive me for questioning your defense. While I may not agree with the language the Minister used, I believe the points he are raising are valid".

Kean looked to the Urban Affairs Minister, hoping to solicit a levelheaded response. Unfortunately for him, that is not what came.

"Spineless" Leslie shouted. Casarnach started to laugh. "And as for you, Frank" Leslie said, pointing his finger at the Taoiseach. "Your hatred of Jimmy O'Reilly so obviously stems from your racism. The same can be said for the bulk of you. You sit here and laugh as you work to deny entry of those longing for a better life, deny entry to those fleeing war and oppression merely because of the color of their skin. And your coalition partners allow it, making them just as guilty".

The room fell silent, including the once laughing Taoiseach.

"I demand that you reappoint the members of the Commission immediately" Leslie finished.

Casarnach growled as he leaned into the table, staring directly as Leslie. "And who the fuck do you think you are to make any demands of me? After your little performance here today, you're lucky if I let you have a future in my party".

"In your party?" Kean said, coming to the defense of Leslie. "Your party? Oh please, Frank. You stole the seat you currently sit in. This is not your party, Liberty will never be the party of Casanarach, I don't care what your wife tells you".

"You made that bitch party chair in order to take over, and what a mistake that was" Leslie said grinning. He knew far more than anyone every suspected. The party chair's connections to the lobbying group she once worked far were deep, and extended to her husband. During his tenure as Minister of Petroleum he happened across concerning figures, figures he had kept suppressed for the good of the party.

The Taoiseach slammed his fist on the table, knocking several coffee mugs off the table. They shattered as he began to shout. "Don't you ever talk about Claire like that, you fucking child. I'll take everything you have from you.

Many of the ministers around the table were visibly shocked, including some of Casarnach's closest allies.

"I will say what I want about whomever I want" Leslie fired back. He shot out of his chair, grabbing his files. "Rot in hell, Frank".

Kean followed suit, motioning to Mac Diarmaid. The timid minister did the same. The three ministers began to walk towards the doorway as the Taoiseach began to shout at them.

"And where do you think you're going? This meeting isn't over until I say it is. Who the fuck do you think you are?" he asked rhetorically.

"The resistance" Leslie replied. "The resistance to your policies of austerity, to your policies of racism. We won't be complicit any longer".

The Taoiseach grabbed the class of water in front of him and whirled it across the room towards Leslie. Shocked ministers gasped as the cup hit the wall, shattering. Leslie, Kean and Mac Diarmaid hurried out of the room.

"Out" Frank growled. "Out, all of you!"

[Senkaku]

52-Hertz Whale
Part Three

---

ITC One
Chang'an International Trade Center
Chang'an
Capital Region, Songguo

---

Liang Geming flicked his cigarette away into the cold night breeze as he walked across the helipad, watching the narrow ribbon of smoke it left behind get whipped away up towards the pregnant blue clouds looming over the city. 2,000 feet over Chang'an, the city barely looked real, just a fanciful collage of glass and neon, with dozens of spider-like cranes and sheer walls of raw scaffolding lit by painfully bright halogen lamps rising everywhere between the glittering crystal spires. To the northwest, he could just make out the vast glow of Dongjing, setting the horizon on fire.

The one-time MSJ Deputy Director- now Acting Director- stepped inside, out of the harsh winter wind, and slipped his gloves off. One of the senior officers he'd appointed to oversee the assignment he'd come to observe was there to greet him with a faint smile and a firm handshake.

"Good to see you, sir. Hope you had a good flight."

"Fine, thank you," Geming replied politely. "Shall we head down to the offices, then, so you can show me around?"

"Of course, sir." They headed to the elevator, and Geming's ears popped slightly as it swiftly zipped down to the 84th floor.

The elevator gave a cheerful ding and slid open, and Geming stepped out into the half-darkness of an empty office. For a moment, the only light was the dim twilight and the glowing neon of Chang'an that poured in through the windows, casting everything in deep shadow, but then the automatic sensors detected their movement and the LED panels in the ceiling began blinking on.

The office was unremarkable besides the views- the cubicles were fairly spacious and well-appointed, but they were still cubicles. The only difference was that everything was gone- computers, papers, post-it notes, everything. All had been requisitioned when the office was shut down.

"We have some banks and the Cuizhu Group offering to rent, currently, but I don't know if you think it'd be a suitable location for another Special Working Group," the officer said.

"Not my primary concern- I didn't come here to tour it, though it is a lovely location," Geming said with an almost embarrassed half-nod, like a bird bobbing its head. He plucked a piece of paper from his jacket pocket, unfolding it and showing it to the man. "I just needed to give you these names, off the books."

"I figured as much. For liquidation?"
He seemed unfazed- by his age and demeanor, Geming could tell he'd been around the block a few times. Definitely a solid recommendation to appoint this one.

"You know how it sometimes is with Special Working Groups," he replied with a shrug. "Let me know if there's any trouble."

[Senkaku]

52-Hertz Whale
Part Four

---

LOCATION REDACTED

---

<<OPEN TRANSMISSION>>
FIELD UNIT ROMEO-4 · to · HIH DIRECTOR LIN

---

UPLINK IS SECURE
RECEPTION GOOD

BEGIN MESSAGE


...

---

[22:44;R-4 COMMANDING:] CONTACT WITH COL. MIN TIANKAI ESTABLISHED (1814 E 14TH ST, APT NO. 23, WARD 5, JINLING CITY), CONFIRMING INSTRUCTIONS/REQUESTING CLARIFICATION.

[22:44;HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS:] COPY. BRING IN AS PLANNED. HEAD TO RENDEZVOUS POINT.

[22:44;R-4 COMMANDING:] SUBJECT IS HEAVILY ARMED AND RESISTING WITH LETHAL FORCE.

[22:44;HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS:] CASUALTIES ARE NOT RELEVANT TO ME. NO LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED. BRING IN AS PLANNED.

[22:46;R-4 COMMANDING:] ATTENTION HAS BEEN DRAWN, SECRECY OF OPERATION IN JEOPARDY.

[22:46;HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS:] THEN HURRY THE FUCK UP AND GET IT DONE. NO LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED. BRING IN AS PLANNED AND PROCEED TO RENDEZVOUS POINT.

[22:47;R-4 COMMANDING:] COPY THAT.

[22:51;R-4 COMMANDING:] SUBJECT IN CUSTODY. PROCEEDING TO RENDEZVOUS POINT. THREE DEAD, FOUR WOUNDED, ONE BYSTANDER KILLED, POLICE RESPONSE INBOUND.

[22:51;HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS:] I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M PAYING YOU FOR SOMETIMES. PROCEED, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

[22:52;R-4 COMMANDING:] ROUTE TO PRIMARY RENDEZVOUS POINT COMPROMISED BY INTSEC/POLICE ACTIVITY. PROCEEDING TO SECONDARY RENDEZVOUS POINT.

[22:53;HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS:] CHOPPER IS STANDING BY. LMK WHEN AIRBORNE.

[22:59;R-4 COMMANDING:] IN THE AIR AND EN ROUTE. COL. MIN NOW CONSCIOUS, WILL BRIEF ON THE WAY.

[22:53;HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS:] WELL DONE. SEE YOU ALL SOON.

---

ROMEO-4 HAS STOPPED TRANSMITTING
HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS HAS STOPPED TRANSMITTING

...

---

<<CLOSE TRANSMISSION>>

[Alinora]

Leader of the Free World
Part I

---

State House | Jackson | Federation of Asteria
August 10th, 2018
8:10am

Ben Avery's eyes crept open, and his hands immediately came up to rub them until he could only see colorful spots. Once they dissipated, he yawned and stretched, then forcing himself to sit up. He heard movement in the next room, which was the entrance area of the First Family's living area, which meant that Julia and Damien were probably awake. Avery's feet touched the cold wood floor, and he stood, reaching behind his back and rubbing his spine while he winced-- Julia always made fun of him and called him and old man when he complained about his back. He went about his morning routing-- using the bathroom, taking a shower, and getting dressed. For today, it would be a tan suit and blue tie, with the Asterian flag pin of course.

Avery emerged from his bedroom and made his way across the entrance area to the kitchen, where Damien was sitting at the small kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal, and Julia was standing by the counter, pouring two cups of coffee. "And he's up!" Julia remarked with a smile, looking over to Damien. "Say good morning to your dad, Damien."

He looked up from his bowl and, with his mouth filled cereal, mumbled "morning dad". Damien was 8, which meant he'd become too "cool" to call Benjamin "daddy"-- dad was the new trend, apparently.

"What's up dude?" Ben replied, rustling Damien's hair and walking over to the counter, where Julia stood with a coffee held out for him.

"Black, of course" she commented.

Benjamin thanked her, gave her a quick kiss, and took a seat at the kitchen table, next to Damien. He picked up the paper-- the front page plastered with "Sanctum Industries accepts new government contract" and "Walton's takes stock hit; billions lost". He only read about halfway through the first story before putting the paper down and looking at Damien. "You ready for school there, bud?" he asked, crossing his legs. "Got everything you need?".

Damien nodded.

"Do you have the slip telling your teacher your mom and I will be coming to the hot chocolate night?"

"Yes dad" Damien replied, "this Tuesday."

Ben nodded, and looked back over to Julia. "So my schedule isn't too packed today hun-- need to meet with Bart at ten and then Trevor at one, but after that, I think I'm free. I was thinking we could get lunch down at the river."

Julia smiled. "Sounds like a good plan" she replied, "Damien was going to go to Will's house after school, so he shouldn't be home until later tonight."

Ben smirked, but was interrupted by a knock on the door frame. He turned to see a man dressed in a black suit, with an earpiece and black sunglasses resting in his jacket pocket. There were many like him, but Avery couldn't forget this one-- Jim Sewell, the head of Avery's Sentinels; his personal bodyguards. "Mr. President, I apologize if I'm interrupting but General Fitzpatrick is requesting you in the situation room immediately." He concluded with "Fellowship Hill, sir". Immediately, Avery's expression went cold.

The Battle of Fellowship Hill was a massive, bloody battle fought in early May of 1842, during the Roessan-Asterian War. At the time, the Roessan Army had torn through Asterian lines in Marais and had been marching towards the state capital of Dixon. In late June, Asterian armies south of Dixon were routed and driven east, leaving Dixon itself horribly exposed. Without aid from the military, some 500 militiamen - volunteer fighters - defended Fellowship Hill against the Roessan onslaught for twelve days before being overrun and entirely wiped out. Because of its reputation, the battle is often used as one of many code words to inform the President that there is a situation involving a compromised military operation.

Ben stood up hastily, looking over to Julia. "I'll be back hun, I love you". He proceeded to walk away as Julia echoed an "I love you" in response, and followed Sewell downstairs, through the winding halls of the State House, and into the lower levels of the building. They approached a large, blast-proof door with the seal of the Federation cleanly pasted onto it-- only accessible by a passcode and retinal scan. Avery allowed the machine to scan his eye, entered his 10-digit passcode, and a loud alarm rang for a few seconds before the door swung open. President Avery and Sewell proceeded, stepping into an elevator that took them about three stories underground. When they stepped into the underground complex, it was busy-- military personnel scrambled around, shouting orders and trying to get ahold of the situation. It must've been bad.

When Avery finally made it to the Situation Room and locked the door behind him, he saw about a dozen military officials sitting around the table, looking up at General Fitzgerald, who stood in front of a screen that played live drone footage of a firefighter appearing to be happening in an urban location. "What's the sit-rep?" Avery asked hastily, walking towards the Chief of Staff while keeping his eyes peeled to the screen.

"Mr. President, fifteen Army Rangers have been trapped inside a school in Ospeletto and are under persistent enemy attack from all directions. The school does currently have children inside, and these soldiers are operating far outside the normal AO."

Avery winced as he stared at the footage, mapping out the enemy positions by where the gunfire emerged from. He could see gunsfire from inside the school, which meant the Rangers were at least putting up a fight. "What was their op?" Avery asked the General.

"Raven 2-1 was infil'd by a small convoy of civilian cars early this morning to raid an apartment complex where there was reported to be an arms cache and a number of armed insurgents. The team arrived and breached the compound at 0700 and were able to clear up to the second floor, but insurgents detonated charges in the stairwells and sprung an ambush." He looked over to the screen. "Raven had to fight their way across the street into the nearest defensible location..." he paused, clearing his throat, "which was a school, filled with children."

Avery rubbed his fingers against his eyes and sighed. "How many insurgents are we looking at? And what assets do we have available?"

Fitzgerald straightened his posture. "It's tough to determine how many we're dealing with, because they seem to be just coming out of their houses. At least fifty-- that's what we can see on the streets, but there are dozens more firing from the nearby buildings. As far as we know, sir, all of these buildings are residential and occupied." He pursed his lips-- nervous of the situation, clearly. "As for assets, I'd first like to stress caution and restraint in the firepower we unleash. As I said, this is a residential area with a civilian population. That said, we have a number of A-10s nearby ready to deploy. We can use them to clear the street but having them target buildings would be... risky-- too much chance for collateral."

"Do we have any gunships in the area?" Avery snapped.

The General bent over his laptop for a moment before nodding. "A small wing of Warhawks are available."

"And where are the nearest ground units?" he pried.

"A company of Marines are posted at a police station a few miles north."

Avery nodded. "Have the A-10s make some passes on the roads-- focus on enemy forces north of the school." He used his finger to explain on the screen as it played footage of the battle. "Get the Warhawks to target insurgent fighters in the buildings, mainly along the northern road-- engage with caution. Make sure they don't let any missiles loose-- stick to the machine guns. That air support should soften up their guys on that road in the north and give those Rangers a chance to punch through and bust out of their encirclement." He drug his finger upward. "They'll push north, covered by those Warhawks, while we can send those Marines down to link up and extract them."

General Fitzgerald nodded. "It'll get done, Mr. President". Avery took off his jacket and rested it on the back of the chair, and took a seat, sighed, and looked up at the screen. It was certain to be a busy few hours.

[Senkaku]

52-Hertz Whale
Part Five

---

SPECIAL INCIDENT REPORT 8/3

EYES ONLY: ADDITIONAL CONTROL- ACCESS BY ORDER OF HIH THE GRAND EMPRESS DOWAGER ONLY

Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited · Dissemination prohibited

This file has been listed by HIH the Grand Empress Dowager as critical to national security and highly personal, in her capacity as State Councillor. Its contents are not to be disseminated internally or externally in any way without her express approval, on pain of extraordinary punishment. It will be housed temporarily in the Xikou Secure Area under Special Working Group 155 by HIH's order.

The QIN SIMING STATE SECURITY CENTER LIBRARY's Research Office Archives section has suffered a critical security breach, jeopardizing the safety of files essential to national security and the personal safety of high officials of His Radiance's government. This security breach occurred sometime on the night of August 2nd and the morning of August 3rd between 2330 hours and 0330 hours, and irreplaceable digital and paper files pertaining to a special investigation into Interior Security Minister Ying Meilin (CODENAME 005 EAGLE) were destroyed or removed from the library to parts unknown. Other political intelligence in 005 EAGLE's Research Office files was also possibly tampered with, removed, or destroyed, and security camera and microphone footage of the incident were also tampered with or destroyed.

Reports and security data indicate that sometime around 2330 hours, a team of six operatives gained access to the QIN SIMING STATE SECURITY CENTER. Two used Interior Security Ministry or Sensitive Affairs Bureau credentials to gain access to the complex, while four others apparently entered by unknown means or infiltrated through a maintenance tunnel running parallel to the AD-1 SECURE SUBWAY LINE between the Center and the PALACE OF THE GRAND ASSEMBLY. Around 0130 hours, three guards at the main entrance to the library section were killed with Wuchang TZS-14 "quiet" special operations pistols equipped with suppressors, of the type issued to special operations units in all three security agencies and the armed forces. The six-person team then hid the bodies in a maintenance closet, and entered the library. It is unknown if personnel in the library security center realized what was happening or tried to send an alert, but four other security personnel and an MSJ analyst apparently browsing files for a report were found dead in the library and the library security center from stab wounds, gunshots, and strangulation. Network cabling and electrical lines between the security center and the rest of the building had been sabotaged by cutting and some sort of incendiary system (possibly planted in advance), presumably before security personnel could send an alert (if they were aware of what was happening- all camera and microphone recordings between 1200 hours on the 2nd and 0334 hours on the 3rd in the library were destroyed, and the cameras and most microphones were also disabled, along with the computers that collected recordings after this point). Initial forensic analysis indicates some type of malware was also already present on the computer systems controlling the library security network, and thus possibly in the entire security network of the Center. The attackers sealed the library off and apparently went undetected, as no one tried to access it during this time.

Inside the library, the assailants appear to have only ransacked a particular section, indicating that they knew exactly where 005 EAGLE's files were kept and what precisely they were looking for. Almost all files related to significant points of political concern were removed, and evidence suggests some papers were burned on the spot (library fire alarm systems also appear to have been disabled). Cameras and obvious microphones were also systematically destroyed, and security footage was erased (presumably after the work was finished). The successful suppression of all alerts could be a potential indicator of major cyber vulnerabilities in the complex's security systems, or that the assailants were aided behind the scenes by a person or persons with knowledge of or control of said systems.

Plastic explosive shaped charges were then used to breach through the library basement into another access tunnel for the AD-1 SECURE SUBWAY LINE's main line, and the intruders apparently were all successfully exfiltrated. The blasts drew the attention of personnel in the Research Office Wing of the Center, who discovered the scene and alerted higher-ups in the department.

Her Imperial Highness the Grand Empress Dowager was informed and came to the Center, and had the Action Group unit stationed in the Center cordon off the area, and authorized select personnel to document and clean up the scene while maintaining internal discretion due to concerns of involvement either by the other components of the State Security Directorate, or by elements of the Research Office itself. Her Imperial Highness then authorized a transfer of certain files deemed of special importance to national security to the Xikou Secure Area, located in her Xikou residence.

Special Working Group 155 has subsequently been formed to respond to this incident, to be headed by Colonel Min Tiankai of the MSJ, and Chief of Staff to HIH Director Lin, An Xilai.

The Sensitive Affairs Bureau and Interior Security Ministry have not been informed of this incident in any way, but sources indicate they have knowledge of it.

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES

---

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

---

Spálgleann, Glytter
26 December 2018 10:55 EST
St. Ellen's Palace

"It is nasty business, all this preliminary budget stuff. Really Your Majesty" Frank said softly. He was always careful to wear his most charming mask when meeting with the king. The two were distant and recent political turmoil did little to bring them closer together. The Taoiseach was still agitated the monarch declined to hold the Tionól in session. The inability to pass a preliminary budget was a near death sentence for his government. The junior parties held the line, but his own TCs were in revolt. The bid-rigging allegations did little to help bridge the widening gap between St Ellen's and Loveland. In their weekly meetings, the king had been quite insistent on pressing the issue.

"It appears so, Mr. Casarnach" the young monarch replied. "It has caused some alarm, I must admit".

The Taoiseach refocused his attention on the king. "How so, might I ask?"

"Well" the king continued. "If you are unable to garner the support for your preliminary budget, which is more of a political embarrassment than it is a constitutional issue, can you be sure you have the support of your TCs for the Speech from the Throne?"

Kenneth had raised a point that Frank had been hoping to avoid. The Taoiseach knew he would face hurdles with the speech he would put before the Comhthionól Náisiúnta. On paper, his coalition government had the majority. However, there were enough TCs being shepherded by Royce that his proposal could once again flounder.

"The failure to garner that support needed would present a constitutional challenge for us" Kenneth finished.

Avoiding the question, Frank offered an evasive answer. "The Speech from the Throne is a formality, a convention. Hypothetically speaking, should the speech I propose fail to receive the backing of TCs there is no real constitutional issues presented to us. I will still be able to pursue my agenda in the legislature, and through my Cabinet". He did not wish to waste any valuable political power on the speech. Rather, he had hoped to topple a rival - the Ceann Comhairle - when the new legislative session began. The chambers would pick their leaders, and Frank wanted to send Cummins into retirement. His decision to send TCs home for the Nativity Recess greatly angered the Taoiseach. The Ceann Comhairle's proximity to Royce also made his removal political expedient.

The monarch paused before responding, turning his attention to the painting of his grandmother, the late Ellen II, above the fireplace's mantle. As Kenneth thought the chapel bells rung on the distance, marking the arrival of eleven o'clock.

"Perhaps that is so, Mr. Casarnach. However, my concerns are not yet alleviated. I worry about the stability of your government should the speech fail to pass. We would also be entering a period of political uncertainty, a monarch has not had to deliver as Speech from the Throne without one passed by the Comhthionól. Constitutionally, it is not as clear as I would like to be - however it appears I have the ability to write the speech at my own discretion, taking advice from you as the head of my government" the king replied.

"I think it would be most wise to meet with Royce and the TCs backing her to work towards a compromise. A speech built on compromise could help stabilize the situation".

Frank had no interest in compromise. He cared little for what Royce wanted, Frank knew she wanted him out of Loveland and that was all he needed to know. "I will not compromise with rebels hell-bent on destroying my reputation and undermining my authority. If the speech I submit fails to pass, so be it. It is I who is the Taoiseach, not Royce. My agenda will be implemented one way or another".

The king held back a sigh before responding. "That will do little to restore order in the legislature and allow for your government to maintain its majority, the majority it needs to remain in place. I do think you should consider compromise. It is a sign of strength, not weakness after all. Ms. Royce is a very reasonable woman from my experience, perh-" before Kenneth could finish there was a knock at the door.

Disruptions during the weekly audience were most uncommon. The meetings were supposed to be an uninterrupted opportunity for the monarch and the Taoiseach to discuss matters of state. "Yes, what is it?" the king questioned.

"I do apologize for the interruption, Your Majesty" the king's private secretary said before bowing his neck. "I was asked to inform you of pressing news".

"Get on with it then" the Taoiseach said impatiently.

"Police have conducted raids on a number of government ministries. A briefing is in the works but this is all happening just now, nothing is known yet".

Frank's phone began to ring as the aide spoke.

"Good heavens" Kenneth replied.

"What is it?" the Taoiseach said into his phone, breaking protocol. "They've done what? I'll be right there".

The monarch raised an eyebrow at the infraction. "What is it, Mr. Casarnach?"

"Loveland has been raided, in addition to my own private residences. I must be going". The Taoiseach had been taken by surprise. The whole bid-rigging scandal had caught him off guard, seemingly coming out of no where at the most inconvenient of times.

"Our meeting is not yet over, Mr. Casarnach" Kenneth said firmly. "We have over ten minutes left".

"That matters little now. Your Majesty" Frank replied. His patience was running thin.

Kenneth stood from his chair. "I dismiss you, Mr. Casarnach. You do not dismiss yourself" the king responded defiantly.

Frank stood from his chair and made eye contact with the monarch. Silently, he glared at the young king. "Good day, Your Majesty" the Taoiseach said before turning his back to Kenneth and heading for the doors.

[Senkaku]

Some time in November, 2018
Dongjing
Gate of Divine Might
Sub-Basement 10B
Dongjing War Room

---

“It’s good to see your face, Jinkai,” Yulan said coldly as the First Minister offered her the most perfunctory of bows.

“Likewise, Your Imperial Highness,” Jinkai replied with equal insincerity. “I’m glad we finally got a chance to talk properly. And privately.”

Between them, the huge circular table’s jet-black surface, buffed to a mirror shine, glowed in the harsh blueish light of the overhead light. The huge screens on the walls were all dark, leaving them in a pool of light in the center, surrounded by a halo of deep shadow.

There was a long moment of silence as the Grand Empress Dowager shuffled a few papers on the table in front of her, both of them fully aware that they were not at all pertinent to the conversation.

Finally, an edge of frustration and impatience in his voice, Jinkai spoke. “So, the Diet has resolved our little disagreement for us, it seems.”

“Yes, how fortunate,” Yulan replied breezily, tapping her nails on the black quartz.

Jinkai huffed in annoyance. “So perhaps it’s time for us to put an end to all this silliness?”

“Fine.”

“No, it’s not fine. You need to talk to me about this.”

“What is there to talk about, Jinkai?”, Yulan said, suddenly sounding exhausted. “I’m 92. I don’t have a lot of time or breath to waste on you. You want it to be over, I want it to be over, and the barbarians have ended it.”

“Well, the last time you gave me that sort of spiel was right before I appointed you to the Research Office to take over for Bingwen,” the First Minister replied, “and if you recall, you’ve been plotting ceaselessly against me ever since. So.”

“And look where it’s gotten me. Jianjun is six feet under, my grandson is still single, the country is in disarray- I think at this point it’s fucking clear that I can’t beat you. I’ve lost my touch.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Congratulations.”
He laughed a little. “You’re right, you have- because I think you said something similar to me and Bolin in ‘91. Am I supposed to believe you this time?”

She raised an eyebrow. “If you think I’m going to be alive in another 28 years to try this shit again, you must’ve seen some Health Ministry research briefing that I sure as hell don’t know about.”

“No, but I also don’t think you’re going to go die quietly in Xikou this time, no matter how nicely I ask.”

“Jinkai, you’ve never really understood this, but all I want is for my family to be alright,” Yulan sighed. “The match with Ayuka isn’t going to work, which means I need to find my grandson another wife, and believe me, I have no intention of going and searching out another barbarian empress.”

“Or of leaving the Research Office,” Jinkai pressed.

“No.”

“You can understand my concern, then.”

“For fuck’s sakes, you asked me here to ask me to end this shit, and I agree- and you seem to think I still need cajoling.”

“In my experience, you’re not exactly some wilting orchid, so forgive me for being suspicious of your agreeableness,” Jinkai said.

“I remember when you used to be more worried about the country then your own position,” she replied acidly. “Don’t worry, Chairman Hao,” she said, contempt and bile twisting the title, “my days of trying to knock you off the top of the heap are over. We’ll both sit in our offices and do our jobs, and pretty soon I’ll do my sacred duty as dowager and kick the bucket and you can dance on my fucking grave if you like.”

They stared at each other for a long moment across the table, letting the silence stretch out, and Jinkai leaned back in his chair.

Maybe it is the truth.

The First Minister broke it again. “Well, Your Imperial Highness, may I offer you some tea before you return to the palace?”

“That would be quite nice.”

Hah! I think he believed me. ‘Lost my touch’? Fuck you. Just you wait.

[Senkaku]

Last Call
Part One

---

STATE COUNCIL ARCHIVES

EYES ONLY: CONTROL LEVEL 5

Property of the State Council Archives · Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited

State Council archives are classified. Any sharing or reproduction of this document is punishable by death or other exceptional punishment, and it is to be incinerated after reading. .

1-31-19 Council Chamber Audio Files Transcript
(Recording begins at 22:42 Hours)

[begin tape]
SPEAKER 1 (JUSTMIN Lin): I'd just like to say I told you all this was going to happen if we delayed things again. [Sigh]

SPEAKER 2 (FM-CMNSC Hao): ["Bitchy" tone] Yes, thank you so much for your constructive commentary, Jinping. Now, maybe you or Meilin can explain why the fuck the security units retreated? This was supposed to be contained!

SPEAKER 3 (INTSECMIN Ying): Some officers on the ground weren't clear about what was happening, there was confusion and they couldn't give me a clear picture of what was happening. [Shakily] Based on what I knew, I ordered them to hold their fire and fall back. The Haixingwai governor and chief of police concurred.

SPEAKER 4 (HIHGED Lin): You fucking what?

SPEAKER 2: You ordered them to hold their fire?! Are you out of your mind?

SPEAKER 3: Jinkai, I- [Pause, volume increase]actually, you know what, Your Imperial Highness? I'm not going to preside over a fucking massacre, maybe that's how you fucking did things in the eighties, but not any more!

SPEAKER 4: Watch how you address me, Minister Ying.

SPEAKER 3: No, I've done plenty of terrible things for this government and overseen a lot of deaths, but this is a bridge too far. I agree with Jinping.

[Brief pause]

SPEAKER 2: [Tense sigh] Maybe you can explain what the hell was going on at the Censorate Bureau, then?

SPEAKER 3: Fuck if I know. Heads are going to roll over that, believe me. That was not me. They're on top of it now- Internet and TV-radio jamming, the works- but I'm going to launch a full investigation about what was happening in those initial hours.

SPEAKER 5 (FORMIN Chao): I certainly hope so. The foreign media is already running amok. At this point, anything short of caving to their demands is going to seriously hurt a lot of our relationships.

SPEAKER 1: What exactly is wrong with caving to their demands? It's been five years since we had real elections of any kind. This country is supposed to have a constitution that's respected.

SPEAKER 4: You know it's not that simple, nephew. If we let them get their foot in the door, where will it stop?

SPEAKER 6 (CMNIGS Ting): She's right, Jinping. We can't take this lightly any more- maybe before this botched IntSec response we could've tried to-

SPEAKER 3: The botched Censorate response. The ISS did as they were instructed and I'm not going to apologize for refusing to give them carte blanche to shoot at 350,000 young students, however dumb or naive they may be.

SPEAKER 4: [Dripping with sarcasm] Oh, what a fucking hero you are. You know, just because I recognize that when there's thousands of people in the streets, sometimes a bullet is the only option- doesn't mean I like it.

SPEAKER 2: Meilin, if the Censorate hadn't cocked this up so royally, maybe that would be an option, but right now we need to fucking clear the city center. Every minute that they occupy it we hemorrhage legitimacy and power, Twitter posts and foreign TV cameras or no.

SPEAKER 3: I'd rather resign than give the order for my men to shoot those kids.

SPEAKER 4: So resign and we can have you shot with them.

SPEAKER 1: [Shocked tone] Auntie, you can't say things like that.

SPEAKER 2: Fine. You won't have to give the order and your men won't shoot anyone. Admiral Ting, what are our non-Internal Security options?

SPEAKER 6: The 4th Group Army's 4th and 5th Divisions stationed in the outskirts of the city, and the Navy has the 1st and 2nd Haixingwai Divisions under Haixiao and Bingshan, which have attached marine units, but I would also recommend using troops from outside the immediate area. There's less risk of the... [Dubious tone] confusion about facts on the ground... that perhaps was suffered by local ISS officers if there's no emotional ties to the locale. The 2nd Group Army has divisions at Guanzhou, Xianggang, and Qingzhou that could all be on scene within... probably 6 hours or so from whenever we give the order, as can the Xunhai Division under Jufeng, which also has a naval infantry complement.

SPEAKER 3: [Sounding exhausted] I could resign anyways, if you go around me.

[Long pause]

SPEAKER 2: [Threatening tone] Yes, you could. [Pause, softer tone] But I think we both know you won't.

[Long pause]

Grand Admiral, call the General Staff and begin making preparations for the military to suppress the riot.