Magecastle, The Ice States
Embassy complex B
B1: Embassy of Holy Marsh
8:15:45 AMAmbassadress
Ashala Illahee had a long day ahead of her. The situation between the People's United Federation and the member-state of Motokata and the Empire of Ice States was a headache for her. She had been selected precisely because she was the most lenient of the candidates when it came to the Ice States. It had proved taxing. They were as arrogant in their claims of divinity as any heathen nation she had encountered and while she often used the argument that it made them little different from her homeland in that regard, it was a wearying argument. Still, she had accomplished what she considered a great deal in a short time and was proud of her work.
Her skills were certainly being put to the test. There was absolutely no debate about who the Theocratic Matriarchy would support in any confrontation, as the PUF was a notable and strong ally and many would rather have seen the Empire burn than deal with them as neighborly states. Still, she had tried to open up lines of communication further down. No one wanted to have a citizen of theirs become a traitor, especially a high government official. The incident at the border had ended with death, and it was easy to understand the necessity of solving the crisis on some terms of appreciable effectiveness on the side of the Empire.
Not that she expected that to happen. All she could really hope for was that whatever sanctions were levied would prove satisfying to the need for retribution for the Empire. She had intimated that it risked much more if it went further than that. Whether they cared about her opinions or not, she felt it important to keep them well aware of the Theocracy's strong kinship with the PUF. Sanctions? She could smooth that over with her superiors.
She had set up for her day, with important meetings scheduled and a number of personal engagements in order to try and help both sides see reason. The Embassy itself was only now starting to buzz- it was always busy, of course, but around eight was when it became fully staffed. People were still settling in, concerns were being addressed, small deals being discussed and the real start of lasting relationships happening across the building.
She took a drink of water before her office turned red.
*****
AI-Citizen Cluster Zaphia-18 was in charge of Informational Security for the Marshite embassy. When the leaks happened, it took less than two seconds for it to analyze them, come to its conclusions, consult with two AI-Superiors, and then for them to alert Foreign Church Service Coordinator Alyson Saiza with their conclusions. It took Saiza eight seconds to open up their alert. Saiza read the conclusion and input a command in twenty-two seconds, activating a pre-set series of orders. Zaphia-3 confirmed the orders and discussed the situation with her superiors and made slight alterations in three more seconds. It took one second for her to activate the orders, and three seconds for AI Citizen Cluster Octar-1- who was in charge of Building Security- to reconfirm with all Clusters involved and its own superiors and then activate its own plans.*****
The Ambassadress took a drink of water as the office turned red, as the chips in her head transmitted the voices of her AI comrades.
"Ambassadress, by order of the Arch-Bishop and in accordance with contingencies, this embassy is being closed due to a new development. Your staff has been alerted. Transportation has been arranged. Information shall be delivered to your secured devices with arrangements and causes," Zaphia-3 said, her voice as even as it always was. It was sometimes hard to remember that the Citizen Clusters were thinking creatures with their own personalities when you dealt with some of them. They were very, very good at their jobs that way.
The Ambassadress put her water glass down and started walking to her desk. When you worked in a land like this, you made sure to keep an evacuation bag ready. She grabbed it and it alone.
"I assume docu-""All documentation has been secured for future use. Local copies are being eradicated, and all equipment rendered unrecoverable," she responded.
Small machine-like whirs could be heard from the desks and file cabinets as well. There was not a tremendous amount of physical documentation that was considered important to be kept, and those that were deemed so had special storage requirements. They had been coated with laminate-like material that when it reached a certain temperature would near-instantly burn, and the cabinets they were kept in were temperature controlled. Octar-1 used his controls to break what limits were available and within a few moments they would start to burn, leaving naught but ash, yet contained and controlled out of human sight.
"All sensitive physical materials are already being eradicated. All copies located outside of storage are being located. Staff near them are being notified to dispose of them using standard procedures.""I see. Good job, you two," The Ambassadress said. Outside of her office many staff members were now responding as they started preparing to evacuate.
The security staff did their part as well. They started putting the additional weapons and equipment that were to be transported into their appropriate transports, while others stayed vigilant for any activity outside of the embassy. Still, it was unexpected for there to be anything too interesting to develop over the moments that followed. It had been some time since relations had warmed and there had been nary a negative development. Once weapons and other equipment that could not be destroyed were secured appropriately they would start destroying servers and the storage cabinets. It was considered overkill, but overkill was the only kill that was acceptable regardless when it came security.
When it was time, staff started to exit the embassy in their vehicles to the pre-arranged transports that would take them out of country. Lower level staff first, followed by others. The Ambassadress and her personal staff would be last and when the building was emptied, vehicles left, and security measures fully followed, security would finish. Once they were gone the two AIs would do a few more checks to erase and remove themselves. Their final action would be kill-codes sent to their software and hardware as their awareness transferred out of the embassy. The lights flickered a few times and turned off, leaving the embassy cold and silent.
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Mar'si, Holy Marsh
8:15 AM
Arch-Bishop Luboski had already called a meeting of top officials. It followed her early morning sermons and would be the precursor to her trip to a Romandean Shrine to promote voting in the ongoing Bishop Elections. The meeting involved multiple M-SAD officials as well as one of her top Fenne, Biycan Dae. The agenda item had been the ongoing elections as well as a short discussion of the developing situation with the Ice States and the Federation. An alert flashed across the room by 8:15:51, detailing an emergency development regarding the Ice States, seeking to pull the agenda up. Luboski looked at the alert for a few moments before nodding. By 8:16:25 a report collated by the AI Citizen Clusters MSTANNIS-IX IX arrived, flashing on the holographic interface that occupied the center table. The various officials and Luboski brusquely tapped their consoles and brought up the leaks themselves as well as the evolving AI Analysis through the use of other intelligence. A third report would pop up. this time by M-SAD human analysts. It would be slower of course, but no less important.
The next few minutes were spent reading, small commentary shared between the gathered.
It was Supreme Analyst Sicar-So Sein-Sar who broke it up. "Our fears have been confirmed."
"Our beliefs have been, you mean," replied Supreme Analyst Daytson Chajara. He looked up at Luboski. "Your Holiness, your trust has once more been betrayed, it seems."
"You cannot betray trust that has not been given, Analyst Chajara," Luboski responded, her soft-spoken voice no less filled with authority. "I gave them the Mer'cia Extrema for it was the right way to give them a chance. No one trusted them more than to be given a chance," she continued, standing up. As she did so, the walls of the room shifted to show some of the early election results. A long way to go, but the faithful were certainly making their voices heard.
"How many of the Faith have voted in the Ice States?" She asked, while Senior Analyst Jasvika Hoondui's eyes flickered briefly for a few moments. The cyborg connected briefly.
"Early returns are unknown, Your Holiness. Strict reporting standards by the Empire mean we are unlikely to know for a few hours longer. Our initial projects are of median turnout, though we experience difficulties in comparison to other regions when trying to collect accurate data."
The Arch-Bishop nodded. "I see. Send word to them to remain vigilant and to not participate in any anti-government protesting," she said, fully expecting there to be violence.
Biycan Dae closed her copy of the report. "Disgusting, if not unexpected," she said to much agreement.
"Indeed. So what do we do now?" Chajara replied, noting how no one seemed to care about the World Assembly portion. The Theocratic Matriarchy was not a member nor a party to that foolish body.
Luboski paced around the room. She was angry that her decree had not been seen as the opportunity it was to change. A nation playing with its future should not in the extreme consume gasoline near open flames. "We will inform the Empire that these disgusting actions demand a cessation of all relations not related to the deal struck previously to end their slave trade. We are considering other responses and will inform them of our decision. We...will be watching," she said before she shook her head.
"The agreement struck years ago has helped free slaves and is working towards a better future for them. Now they threaten that which saved them...Analyst Sein-Sar, the Faithful in the Theocracy cannot access these leaks?"
"Correct. The website in question is not accessible, and we are vigilant on following the digital trail and killing it should it so much as approach our filters."
Good. She didn't need the Faithful to hear what is happening and become enraged. They would learn when she believed it right for them to know. It would also save them from having to make any public statement. No need for it now.
"I see, good," a pregnant pause. "I am rescinding the Mer'cia Extrema as of this moment, but since they are not classified as a slave state, we will not be taking immediate military action. However, activate our previous plans for dealing with the Ice States and prep them for immediate use. Give no greater indication and move no further forces into preparation," she said as she turned around to the assembled.
"Inform only the highest levels of allied governments and intelligence services of the rescinding of the Mer'cia Extrema. Outside of those who need to know, no one outside of this room will know either. When and if we do more than cut relations that are not necessary for the continuance of the anti-slavery deal we will work in concert with them on those actions," she said as she took her seat. "We are not at war, yet. And we hope for the sake of the anti-slavery pact we can avoid it. But when and if we do move, we will do so with absolutely no reservations. And it will not take much more than we are at to do this. Ensure this message is delivered and let them draw their own conclusions."
A pause
"Bring me the Inquisition. And bring me the Lord-Commander Militant of the Holy Warriors."
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To: Empire of the Ice States
From the Desk of the Arch-Bishop
Effectively immediately all relations not related to your continued adherence to the emancipation agreement have been cut. Your violations in Operation: Diamond Dog are judged cruel and unlawful by the Holy Marsh. We will be considering future responses and will be watching how you conduct yourselves carefully.
Thought for the Day: With victories over others, we conquer. But with victories over ourselves, we are exalted.
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4:03 PM
Mar'si, Holy Marsh
The Arch-Bishop PreparesThe reports from the Empire confirmed the suspicions of the Arch-Bishop and her people. Not for nothing, they couldn't help but prove the worst theories about them correct, the worst opinions of them true. It wasn't enough for them to be slavers; it wasn't enough for them to commit acts of genocide; it wasn't enough for them to respond to protests with violence. They had to do everything. It appeared as though the Mer'cia Extrema was wasted. She would have to rescind it now. There was nothing else to do; her hand had been forced.
Operations were put into place. The 1st and 3rd Strategic were tasked with the southern and eastern coasts of the Empire respectively. The 7th Strategic Submarine Fleet would be in support, while the 2nd, 9th, and 10th Strategic Amphibious Fleets would get to work soon enough. In the air, six Air Crusades were activated and designated, while the one-hundred divisions of the 2nd Localized Army Crusade were being tasked.
Still, at the moment these were just plans. Even as protestors were getting slaughtered by the Empire, the Arch-Bishop did not yet give the word. It wasn't due to a lack of desire. Once she had seen the latest reports her heart had finally hardened entirely to the cause of kinship with the Empire in any manner, and she allowed herself to consider them damned.
Rather than launch a vast bombing campaign and invasion intended to snuff out the nation, she listened to another idea. One that was proposed by one of the few Marshites who seemed to give a shit about the overwhelming casualties that would be inflicted on the common people and slaves of the Empire.
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3:10 PM
Mar'si, Holy Marsh
The Ambassadress' Long-Shot
The Ambassadress took a drink of water, her first of several hours and her first drink back home in the Theocracy. It had been a nervy few hours with a terse exchange between the aircraft and Ice ATC on the way out. Landing in Ixana had seen her and her staff swiftly whisked aboard militart aircraft heading home. even then she could see the always-busy base starting to buzz at an even higher, jubilant degree. She knew why they were so happy and was determined to see to it that their joy was short-lived.
She was no fool. Her colleagues may have thought so, with her hope for the Ice States. But they misjudged her. She was no fool, no naive idealist. She well understood that the Empire was rotten, with its false religion and broken leadership wallowing in the muck of their own avarice. She knew they were doomed and knew it years ago. But she saw nobility in the people of the Ice States. A boldness and courage that was waiting for a moment to show itself. As she watched the protests start, she knew this was the moment.
If they were only allowed to do this themselves, then she would be vindicated and the people saved. She communicated with M-SAD and the Arch-Bishop and was granted a meeting. She walked into the meeting at 3:30 PM, as the first reports of the chemical attack were being sent out. They prayed while the reports grew more serious, and finished when it as well confirmed. When the meeting finally started, the Ambassadress knew she up to this task regardless of the new road blocks put in front of her...
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4:05 PM
Mar'si, Holy Marsh
The Arch-Bishop Has ListenedThe Arch-Bishop read over the prepared statement as well as signed off on a series of actions. Utilizing information networks obtained by local Marshites and the work of the embassy with M-SAD, they would support the protestors in any and all means they asked for. If the people of the Ice States desired to fight for their freedom, they would find a line of credit, arms, support, and even direct intervention on the table. And if they did not, if the Ambassadress was wrong about the heat of the moment burning the cruelty of the past away, then it would be the Theocracy itself that would put the nation to the sword. A series of plans were laid out regardless and the Theocracy would move with agility between them.
The statement itself was the first Marshite acknowledgement of the events of the day, and was sent out through all channels.
"The Empire of the Ice States has turned its back on good governance and good will and fully embraced cruelty and malice. As of this moment, we have severed all relations with the nation, and the Arch-Bishop has announced a rescinsion of the Mer'cia Extrema. It is expected that the Ice States shall remain in adherence to the previous agreement signed. As long as it does so, it is not a slave state.
This follows the revelations of an organized attempt at genociding Czaslyudian peoples in its nation and then attacking protestors of this action. This revelation is shocking, and the Arch-Bishop condemns the actions and all those involved. She has called for all those involved in the operation or the attack on protestors to be turned over to the proper Marshite authorities or the Greater Díenstadi Freedom Organization.
We warn the Ice States that any action taken against Marshites in its lands will be taken as a direct act of war. We encourage the good citizens of the Ice States to let their voices be heard with the comfort and knowledge that they are supported by all members of the righteous world."
After this statement was read aloud on news broadcasts and appeared at the top of every available webpage, the leaks and videos regarding the events of the Ice States would finally be available for Marshites to access. Meanwhile, one Air group was already in the skies flying towards a specific city- on a mission or protection and revenge.