[IC] [TWI-Only] Open Minds

[Ainslie]

IC | OOC | Dispatch

[Ainslie]

Afterburn - 24 December 2019

Sarah watched as the steering wheel gently turned as the pale-skinned hands of the driver smoothly guided it. A green sign off to the right signalled the car to veer off the highway towards a busy two lane road.

“Arri, take a look at the trees along the road”, Sarah remarked.

“Yeah looks like a fire has been around recently - less than a week ago I’d reckon Sar”, Arrisek remarked. “Wait… that’s smoke…”

“I thought the Leafy Valley fire was out…”

“I’d hope so Sar - maybe they’re wanting to let it burn itself out?”

Ten minutes later, they were presented with a new sign, one that read:

GRAVEL ROAD ON LEFT
APPROACH WITH CAUTION

Sarah watched as Arrisek flicked the car’s indicator on and turned left.

“Arri, you lived in Menardi? I thought you were in Nelaine, where we used to work…”, Sarah stated.

“Nope - spent my childhood in Menardi…”

The car struggled to provide a comfortable journey even at 90 kilometres per hour. Sarah quickly shut her window as a grey smoke thickened over the road. Arri switched on the radio and hazard lights as he continued into the all en-compassing cloud.

No fire trucks. No police cars. No road closures.

They were all alone.

Another five kilometres along the road, the deep rumbling of the gravel ceased - the road was sealed once again…”

“How long to Menardi”, Sarah enquired.

“10 minutes, maybe?”, Arri replied.

The grey slowly became more transparent, with multiple buildings emerging out of the scrubby hills.

“We’re here”, Arri replied shortly.

***

Arrisek's home, Menardi

The usual smiling faces were at the door of the family home.

“You must be Sarah!”, a woman with regal grey hair stated, arms opened wide in readiness to embrace her grandson’s girlfriend.

A large room, with two brown couches and fair wooden chairs were quickly occupied by Sarah, Arri and his family.

A warm conversation begun, until one question presented a marked speed bump to it.

“How’s the farm?”, was that question.

The brow of Arri’s father furrowed and his wife’s blue eyes suddenly pierced through any happiness that was previously in the air.

“It’s pretty much gone”, Jackie - Arri’s brother, solemnly responded.

***

At the farm

Arri had never seen such an enraged sunset, with the smoke enshrouding its good will.

“You weren’t kidding…” Arri said in a decelerating manner.

“Nope. Not at the moment, Arri.”

The then rusty fences were jet black. The wooden shack so frequented in his childhood - in ashes. Arrisek dropped his head, collecting the rag that had previously covered his nose and mouth to wipe a tear. Sarah placed her arm around his torso, partially to comfort her boyfriend but also in response to the dread of what possibly awaits her in her town, the town where two sweatshop workers could meet and become close friends - boyfriend and girlfriend even...

[Scantarbia]

Sector A - Heliport

The sound of the helicopter starting up breaches the morning calm on Leafy Valley. Just before dawn, around 4 AM, this LYRAM complex on Keverai began to wake up, partially though, as it is the holiday season.

"HQ, this is Overwatch, preparing for the morning patrol," said Andreas. He's one of LYRAM's helicopter pilots. He's an Imikalani of Scantarbian descent. Yet, he's born and grown in Keverai since his parents moved here for a job at the LYRAM's hemp plantation on Keverai.

"Affirmative Overwatch, you're cleared for departure. Proceed as usual. FIREWATCH satellite indicated a recent fire nearby, check it out if you can, have a safe flight Andreas," a soft woman voice replied through the radio. She's Nadare Dawand, a Keveraite, been working here as the air traffic manager at the plantation. Many helicopters come and go through the complex, and it's better if all of them are managed properly.

"Roger that, Overwatch is inbound, have a nice day Nadare." and with a push on the stick, Setiabudi is off the ground. The helicopter breaches through the morning haze out to check out the plantations. From palm oil, hemp, banana, coffee, tea, cocoa, and many more.

"One thing for sure, it'll be business as usual when the workers came back next year. Those palms look damn fine." Andreas reported whilst flying over Sector B, the palm oil plantations.

"Do you have anything to do this new year's eve?" asks Andreas.

"What you're going to do? Invite me to do something together?" replied Nadare through the comms.

"What else are you expecting? I've got a plane ticket back to Arcturus for tomorrow. I heard they're going to fire a new ballistic missile to create a firework, that sounds fun. As a military enthusiast, this is a must-watch."

"Guess I'll be stuck here alone then," said Nadare as he monitors Overwatch's flight from her radar console.

"I got a bonus ticket though, no one's taking it as they already got their own business," speaks Andreas through his microphone as the helicopter flies above Sector E, the tea plantations.

"The sight of the tea plantation in the morning is always delightful like you just want to land and pluck a leaf or two,"

"I think I'll pass it this time, my family plans to meet together on new year's eve, and as a family member I wouldn't want to miss it out," said Nadare as she notices a strange blip on her radar console.

"Be advised we have an unknown bogey just one kilometer northeast of your position"

"Aww man, guess I'll be flying alone this time, next time then," replied Andreas in a sad tone. "About that unknown bogey, I didn't see anything from here,"

"Hold on there's something, it's round? I don't know, can't see much from here, will try to approach," said Andreas as he moved the helicopter's stick to close distance with the bogey.

"Okay, take caution."

"Oh wait, what the? It just flies off? I never see something like that ever," a surprised Andreas shouted on the microphone.

"It's gone on the radar too. Oh well, proceed as usual, how's Sector G?"

"Sector G is clear and secure, unfortunately, I don't have enough fuel to check on the fire. Can we just use the drone for that? I'm RTB."

"Okay Overwatch, RTB." replies Nadare

[Ostehaar]

Everything was so saturated. Contour lines felt clearer and accented while the colors in between brightened, creating an atmosphere of a winter festival coming alive. A short breeze was enough to make him feel lighter, as if he was being held upright by the force of wind itself. His feet gradually melted into the ground, and a calming sensation of bliss spread through his bones and limbs. Hivere, at the distance, suddenly felt larger and sprawling, swallowing the suburbs around it. The fields and clouds around the city spread like waves, and an entirely personal and dwindling impressionistic painting formed and then faded. The breeze slowed down considerably. A column of smoke was noticeable far away. He raised the joint to his lips again and inhaled.

"Back to the classics, I see," Jin said.

Alby turned around to watch her approaching - her paces seemed much more graceful and elegant than usual - and smiled. "I missed this," he replied, "I like having some spare time." Jin stood close to him, holding her jacket tight. He could swear he felt her presence radiating beside him.

He cleared his throat. "There's a job I'm thinking about, in Kevara."

"DA office?"

"Yes," Alby said dryly. He could feel her attitude changing while he took another drag. The smoke formed tiny beautiful spirals as it left his mouth upwards, slowly vanishing into the afternoon sky. Islands of artificial evening lights appeared in various areas of the view. A few seconds felt like ten minutes.

She turned around, leaning her back against the balcony railing. "I don't like that place."

"I know," he said, "but the Hintere office is dysfunctional."

"Then fix it. Apply for deputy DA." Jin's voice suddenly sounded too firm and parental to him. He laid the joint down and looked at her. Two glaring black eyes caught his attention, and then steadily eased back. The air around him moved in pulses for a few moments. He realized he was way too high to have that conversation.

"I'm just thinking about it."

---

That Friday evening was stormy, forcing most people back into the warmth and quiet of their homes. Alby left his at around midnight, making his way to downtown Hivere. Jin was already asleep at home, unaware of her husband's whereabouts. At around one o'clock he arrived at his destination - a shady-looking, decades-old pub bearing the sign "Borderman's Bar" - and sat at the darkest corner of the room he could find. A taller man soon followed, ordered a beer at the bar, and then casually took the seat in front of alby.

"Good to see you. How you've been?" The man smiled and raised his hand for a shake. Alby knew him as Tom - an Oster adviser to the consulate, specializing in legal affairs. Was that his real name and occupation?

"I'm fine... I think," Alby replied. "You?"

"Oh, I've been traveling, actually." Tom leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "So how you've really been, Albert?"

Alby's heart raced. Memories of meeting in dark pubs and anxiously waiting for documents to finish copying themselves sprang into his mind. Seven months have passed since he had last met Tom. Seven months alone, with no backup or escape plan. Seven months of freedom.

"I'm not doing this anymore. I came here to tell you in person... as a friend."

"Why?"

"It's different now. We have a normal government and I can get a decent job."

Tom took a sip of his drink. "You already have a decent job here."

"You sound just like my wife," Alby said. "She said I should be deputy DA."

"You should. You'd be good at it."

Alby thought for a moment. He noticed the music turned softer, and one of the waitresses was already busy cleaning the bar and washing the used glasses. A couple in-love sat two tables away, and a lonely businessman smoked at the opposite corner of the pub.

"It's too much for me to handle right now," alby finally confessed. "This place is unforgiving."

Tom nodded firmly. "I'll have your back. You know what it means." It meant a lot. Tom was there for him at rough times, through Buzz and crowded streets. Tom's cash kept him from bankruptcy. The gun Tom gave him is still locked in a safe at home, unused.

"It means reporting to you," Alby said.

Tom finished his beer. "I don't need your reports. I want to work with you and clean this place." He shoved his hands into his inner coat pocket and took out a piece of paper, which he then unfolded and presented to Alby. "This is an official letter of an I.D. investment fund, allocating funds to the Hintere DA office."

"What?" Alby grabbed the paper.

"On the condition that you serve there. The current DA is incompetent and delivers poor results. A dedicated deputy could really stabilize this district and help put this country back together."

Alby stared at the paper in his hands. "I'll think about it."

[Aizcona]

Meltxor sighed as he sat down on the log. Carefully he placed his MT3B-PDW next to him, still within arms reach, an old habit from back when he was still a soldier within the Estral army. He felt like he was starting to get too old for this even at the ripe age of 29. Having gotten out of the military at the age of 24 after 6 years in it he transitioned to the burgeoning military contracting sectors. Now here he was, not too far from home in the nation of Keverai, protecting one of the few shithole mines on the small peninsula. Which happened to be owned by an Estral company that had managed to gather up some resources in the aftermath of Keverai's civil unrest. Turns out when you're strapped for cash anything sounds like a deal. As such the PMC Meltxor Zaro worked for was tasked with providing secruity for the mines owned and operated by said Estral company. The shareholders did not trust too much the stability of the nation, especially in the rural areas.

None-the-less it was a nice break from the hustle and bustle that was life in Estra. Meltxor had never really fit into that style of life, but he fit right in with the nationalistic zeal that pervaded many Estrans. A history buff on his own and a fitness junkie, he and the military were a perfect match. Until he grew bored with the lack of action in the past few years. But now he was finding that he much preferred taking in the open air and reading one of the books from his large collection. He had recently obtained a book on the life of Xurio which he kept on him all the time so that he could read more of it in his downtime. There was a lot of downtime, as it turns out Keverai was a bit more stable than one would expect. Or the locals didn't want to fuck with PMC personnel who were all strapped with automatic weapons.

Meltxor took out his book and turned to the page he was last on. ... as one of his most influential works, Bizezagutza is still heavily read by philosophers to this day. His many insights... "Hey Meltxor!" One of his buddies had come over to him. Meltxor just sighed and closed the book. "Hey can you cover for me? I have to go take a shit."

"Yeah no problem man, get going before you shit yourself." With that Meltxor's friend ran off and Meltxor went over to his buddy's post to cover for him. Keverai was not a bad assignment, not in the slightest.

[Ainslie]

Open Minds | Cause for Alarm
10:40am - 23 January 2020
Road outside Kenendra, Keverai


The car steadily cruised over the dirty gravel road. Its driver was an uneasy man who had just visited his family for the first time in many months - and just learnt that the family farm where he spent most of his childhood was now in ashes. It was completely rubble - ash and scorched ground.

“Hey Arri, how far are we from Kenendra?”, Sarah asked
“On these back roads? I’d say forty minutes?”, Arrisek said as he slowly increased the force of his foot on the accelerator.

The grey, moody sky reached down to the gravel before Arrisek and it could only be an indicator of an equally ominous situation on the ground. A sign appeared to the left of the gravel road.

“Keleden: Population 520.”

“Arri, fancy a break?”, Sarah enquired
“Yeah - driving’s getting pretty tough…” he replied.

The indicator ticked away as the dusty vehicle came to a halt next to the verge of a general store, close to the highway they were about to take to get to Kenendra.

“Man… can hardly breathe”, Arri remarked as he began to move his shirt closer to his mouth and nose.

The two then wandered out of the car and into a delightfully air conditioned room that had to be at least ten degrees cooler than the air outside. The display cases before them exhibited an array of sweets and breads - something Arri never forgot about the rural regions of Keverai. The door behind them opened as a bell made its iconic sound to notify the shopkeeper that another customer had entered the store. The man, dirty and mentally frazzled quickly motioned towards the shopkeeper whose face quickly shifted from pleasant to solemn.

“So where are you gonna go now?”, the shopkeeper said to another man at a level loud enough for Arrisek and Sarah to hear.

“Dunno”, the man the shopkeeper was talking to sharply replied as Sarah nudged Arrisek, who promptly approached the conversation.

“I don’t mean to be rude but… - cut it, you and your girl need to get out of here”, the man interjected.

“Apologies, we’ll get back on the road soon…”, Arri replied to which the man quickly changed his expression.

“Better not be heading northwest - there’s a fire out there”, the man replied.

“How big?”, Arri nervously stated

“Big enough that I’m jumping into my pickup to come here and let the good fellows down at the store know and then march up to Council and spray at them about this mongrel!.”

Arri and Sarah had received their plastic bag of bakery items by then and quickly left the store. They soon were on the road. The man who was talking to the shopkeeper - his name Darveer - was not having the same experience.

***

Darv left minutes after the couple, returning to his grey pickup truck which left the kerb at an alarming speed - heading straight to the local Council building, which was adjacent to the police station.

The sky progressively darkened as Darv was forced to turn his headlights on.

It wasn’t night - it was 1pm.

The accelerator slammed against the floor as Darv observed his speedometer increase

60… 70… 80… 100…

It was only two minutes from there that he saw the policeman out in the front yard. A normal situation would demand a speeding ticket, but instead he ushered Darv inside - a local from the outskirts of town that he knew quite well.

“What are you doing here, what do you know Darv?”, the policeman asked.
“Fire big enough to roar - about 20ks southwest of here by now”
”How fast?
“Will reach here in less than an hour if I was forced to give an answer.”

His face relaxed from its tightened, concerned expression to one which was cold and almost lifeless.

“Let’s get the band together”, the policeman quickly spluttered as he grabbed his mask, police cap, high vis vest and keys.

The two men quickly left the station en route to the council depot to collect the necessary firefighting tools and to alert the residents of Keleden.

It was too late to leave.

[Norstham]

A shop in Keleden

Niels embraced the stream of cool air from the fan as it whirred at the side of his shop counter, swivelling from left to right. It was one of the hottest days he could remember in recent years, and the temperature inside his shop had been causing him to sweat. However, it seemed that Niels also had more reason to sweat than just the heat, he had far greater worries. Moving around the black counter, Niels stepped outside. The air wasn’t fresh, it was dry, heavy with the smell of smoke and still with an eerie quiet. A hellish orange painted the hazy sky above Niels. He retreated back into the shop. Darv wasn’t messing around. It was getting closer, too close for comfort. Moments before, Darv had sped off and the quiet had returned to his shop, after the panicked conversation that had ensued when Darv warned of how close it was getting. It had given Niels a lot to think about, it had prompted him to think about the unthinkable. Sticking his finger up, Niels felt the wind. It was coming from the north-west, a fact that only served to raise the sense of panic that Niels was feeling at that time.

A short while later, after Niels had returned to the more hospitable conditions of his shop and its ineffective but better-than-nothing air conditioning, another customer entered, coughing as they opened the door to the shop. The smoke was getting thicker. ‘Bloody hell, it’s only gonna get worse out there’ he said as he picked up a green coloured bag of minds from the shelf. ‘I know’, replied Niels, ‘I was out there just a few minutes ago, certainly worse than it was this morning.’ Niels didn’t recognise this man’s face, something unusual for a shopkeeper in such a small and out of the way community. ‘Where are you from then?’ he enquired. ‘Oh’ replied the man, ‘I’m from up north, gonna drive down towards [TOWN] to make sure I keep out of the way of the fire, if it comes down these parts.’

‘D’you think it’ll make it down here?’ asked Niels.

‘All at the mercy of the wind isn’t it.’

‘Yeah, I suppose it is.’

‘Are you gonna be sticking around then?’

‘Well, depends how close it gets. Dunno what I’d do if it reached here.’

‘The firemen have been further up that dirt road up there setting up breaks and that. I’ve kist come from down there. I reckon it could be bad if it makes it this way.’

‘Anyway, that’ll be 3.50 Idar please.’

The man rummaged around in his wallet for the correct change, and then handed it to Niels, who deposited it in the till. ‘Stay safe’, the man said as he turned to exit the shop.

‘You too.’

After the man had left the shop, Niels went back to the mundane task of rearranging tins on the shelf. They had been one of the more popular products in his shop since people in the area realised that the threat was very real and they may actually have to leave, so had begun to stock up. Once he had finished this job, he moved outside to go round to complete some other necessary jobs. A shrill, high pitched wailing noise punctured the quiet, followed by a roar as a convoy of two or three fire engines sped past on the road which flanked Niels’ shop, probably heading towards the road which the man who had been in the shop earlier had been talking about. The apparent urgency with which they seemed to be trying to get to wherever they were going alarmed Niels. It must have been getting closer. Shaken from the jarring noise of the speeding fire engines, Niels had suddenly become more aware of his surroundings than he had been whilst in the tedious process of completing the jobs that had to be done. It was at this point that he noticed the more intense shade of orange that was creeping through the haze. It was at this point that he noticed glowing embers beginning to fall around him.

[Ainslie]

Open Minds | Arrival
11:10am - 24 January 2020
Outside Keleden, Keverai


Keleden was soon out of view as Arrisek and Sarah sped along the highway at an urgent 125km/h.

The haze remained, yet it was light enough Sarah could make out the sign on the side of the road which displayed the distances to various townships along the road.

STRATLIN CONNECTION ROAD
Deslie Corner - 9
HILLS HIGHWAY - 10
GREAT NORTHERN ROAD - 12

“Helpful sign, ay Arri? Where’s Kendrena on that?”, Sarah remarked.

“Up Hills Highway, jump left onto a junction just before Hivere and swing around to Vendi’s Road for thirty kilometres.”

“Yes… I know…”

The haze grew, the sky turned from a subtle grey to a colour closer to that of slate as they left the outskirts of Hivere. Arri had had the headlights on for 20 minutes now along Vendi’s Road.

“Fires like this… not normal… even in the middle of the dry”, Sarah stated

“Haven’t seen it like this before. Drought’s bad.”

The car’s wheels thudded as the road slowly dropped in quality before it became a road of concrete in some places, but mainly gravel. The grey transitioned into a light red, and then a deep red. Distant sirens were becoming significantly more audible. Sarah began shift her feet around and tap with her fingers a bit more whilst Arrisek furrowed his brow before slowly dropping his foot onto the brake.

The sign so familiar to Sarah emerged, reading

“Welcome to Kendrena!”

The dark green sign, made of a metallic material, appeared a bit warped if not less visible than normal.

They slowly entered the township, reaching the centre which had become a hive of activity for only the most ominous reasons. Sarah’s eyes became significantly more severe as Arri flicked on the indicator and turned left.

“Remind me, sixth house on the left right?”, Arri stated.

“Yeah.”

The car quickly slowed as Arri began to search for a park. The wheels were soon near the kerb as Arri and Sarah began to hold rags back up around their nose and mouths. The light outside of Sarah’s house was on, with a tall middle aged man with a mask hosing his lawn.

“Dad!!!!”

“Hey Sar”, he replied before quickly giving her a hug

“Now… I need you to go inside and talk to your Mum, I gotta keep watering.”

Sarah quickly yet intensely looked at her Dad before rushing inside with Arri. There was a telltale fluro yellow, high visibility vest wrapped around the mailbox.

She knew exactly what was about to happen.

A fire was rushing towards her house and towards Kendrena, her home town. Her family was preparing to defend it from the ember attacks and the horrific fire which was bearing down on the town.

[Ainslie]

Open Minds | Preparation
1:22pm - 24 January 2020
Naline Home - Kenendra, Keverai


Arri and Sarah opened the door, walking into a somewhat dark room void of people.

“Tarrie?”, a woman from the kitchen yelled

“No, Sarah - Arri and I are here now”, the unsure daughter responded.

“Ahh yes. Welcome home hun! Super sorry, I’m just really busy at the moment - can you come here?”, the mother responded.

Sarah pointed towards a room that she began to wander to, with Arri following soon after. A flickering fluorescent light hung over the room as the mother industriously moved around the kitchen which had a little notepad sitting front and centre. There was no point hiding what was about to happen - Sarah was 100% sure now.
“Mum, how far’s the fire?”

“Bout 3-4 hours from now, mid to late evening the Deputy Mayor said”

Arri visibly looked uncomfortable as his mind drifted back to the scorched land of his family farm. He was just hoping that Kenendra would not suffer the same fate. Arri stood in the doorway as Sarah and her mother spoke with relatively hush voices - he was a bit confused and alarmed at that fact. He seemed almost helpless in what appeared as a well-oiled machine getting ready for the fire.

“Okay Arri, let’s go. We’ve got stuff to do.”, Sarah chirped as she held a ripped out page from the notebook that was sitting on the table.

“So. I’ve got a list here and we need to make sure we have everything on it - anything we don’t have we need to try and find at a shop somewhere in town”

“Hopefully we have everything then - I don’t like our chances of finding anything in stock at the general store.”

“Ahh.. Arrisek, you’ve always been the optimist haven’t you…”, Sarah sarcastically replied as they walked into the garage.

“First aid kit…

Yep.

Torch

Yes.

Battery powered radio…

Ahh yes, don’t put that in the backpack just yet Arri. Can you take it to the kitchen and turn it on?

“And the frequency, Sarah?”

“Same as Menardi, 807.2FM.”

Arri began to twist the dials on the old radio.

810… 809… 807…

“THIS IS AN EMER… - that’s the right frequency, Arri - take it to the kitchen. And quickly!... - GENCY WARNING for Kendrena..”, the interjected radio blurted loudly.

Arri rushed through the dark, long corridors of Sarah’s family home before snaking left into the kitchen which overlooked the front door and living room.

“Thanks Arri - I take it it’s on northern community radio if it’s got those warnings”, Sarah’s mum stated.

“Yeah.”

Arri hadn’t seen Sarah’s dad, Tarrie, for a while.

He pushed the curtains on the window apart just enough to see a shadow wandering around the front yard in the deep orange-red sky.

It was close.

Arri ducked his head out of the door

“Whoever that is don’t be an idiot - go back inside, get some sunglasses before you come out unless you want your eyeballs to melt!”

Arri tensed up before rushing back in, overhearing the dad yelling outside as he lifted and dropped things.

“Ahh my toe.”, he shrieked.

By this time Arrisek had his sunglasses on, so decided he would go back outside.

“You okay, Mr. Naline?”

“That you Arrisek - come here now that you’re at least somewhat protected.”

Arrisek slowly walked with his head down, watching out for embers.

“Mongrel’s still a bit away still, don’t be too scared - gotta save some for later.”, Tarrie responded

Stupid woman… would get the whole town burnt down if she was mayor…, Tarrie muttered as Arrisek stood there with his shirt over his nose.

“Can you head back in and get Sarah when she’s available - her mother hasn’t taken the washing off the line out here. Then come back and help me rip out this front garden before an ember catches it!”, he continued.

Arrisek began to walk away from Tarrie back towards the house

“Don’t bother doing that either - smoke’s so heavy your shirt won’t do anything.”

Idiot cashed up city boy…, Tarrie muttered under his breath after telling Arrisek off.

Ten minutes later, Arrisek reemerged out of the house with Sarah soon after him. They looked on as Tarrie had his arms crossed as he leant against the rickety fence post near the mailbox. There were two other men with plad shirts and jeans motioning towards their truck as the father profusely shook his head.

“Get back inside Arri - rest up, you’re helping me fight this mongrel. See Sendan [one of the men Tarrie was talking to], I do have help. Now leave me whilst I try protecting just about the only thing I have left - and hopefully some of the properties of you cowards. Now - get off my property.”, Sarah’s dad half shouted.

Sarah called out to Arrisek to help her as they expediently got the washing off the line and rushed back inside. Soon after, Tarrie came bursting through the front door.

“Too late Arri. No point ripping out that front garden now. I just doused it in a bit of the water we have left. I’m going back out though”, he said with a stern tone.

“And Sarah… make sure you keep the curtains open on the windows. When you start to see the embers, tell your man to come out.”, he said as his voice was getting more distant.

“Sorry bout that Arri - he’s a bit stressed at the moment. It’s a bit of a bad time to meet my family for the first time but I guess we’re here now”, Sarah tagged onto Tarrie’s comments.

The radio continued to chatter away as calls from locals filled up the time between various fire warnings and updates.

The sirens started to blare from the speakers of the beaten radio.

“EMERGENCY NOTICE TO ALL THOSE REMAINING IN KENENDRA. THE FIRE IS APPROACHING, IF YOU ARE DEFENDING KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR EMBER ATTACKS, WHICH ARE A NEAR CERTAIN FOREWARNING OF THE IMPENDING FRONT.”, it preceded

“Suppose you better get out there, Arri”, Sarah solemnly remarked after she kissed Arrisek on the cheek.

[Ainslie]

Open Minds | Sleepless Night
4:33pm - 24 January 2020
Naline Home - Kenendra, Keverai


The deep, raging red transitioned into a nerveracking black as Kenendra turned pitch back two hours before sunset. The fifty residents of the town cannot see the house next door - or the people across the street who they saw watering down whatever they could in the early afternoon. Arrisek, Sarah and her mother sit on a couch, fixated on the window which now offers nothing for them - except the glimmer of one streetlight. Sarah’s arm began pulsating and sweat started to grow on her. Arrisek’s eyes widened and all of a sudden the emotion so often in his eyes were completely void.

Brief specks of light showered across the window like a meteor shower. A loud thud meets the door - one that was caused by the boot of Sarah’s father.

“ARRISEK!”, he yelled

The shouting was indisputable. Arrisek grabbed his sunglasses, donned the wide brimmed hat and walked out of the house.
Arrisek took in his surroundings with a degree of uncertainty which could only come from someone who had never defended a property during a bushfire. His family would never had left him. There was no way Sarah would’ve left her father to defend the property on his own, but never chose to bring the option up.

Speckles of fire danced tauntingly like snow.

“Arrisek - there’s buckets on each corner of the lawn. If you see something green go up, douse it in water. Don’t worry about the roof - gutters have already been cleared.”

He hardly heard the orders of a guy he met only this afternoon - his life would soon be at risk. This pitch black would soon be illuminated by the unforgiving and intense roar of a bushfire. Arrisek picked up a blackened leaf and watched the way it swung. It heralded that the winds were going to push the fire towards the house and Kenendra.

He walked to the various corners of the front yard, looking for the small telltale flame that always grows. Every once in a while, Sarah would pop her head out and provide updates for the boys - the one most recent was not one he was all too keen to hear.

“Farmer on outskirts of Kenendra - who Sarah, who? - the McEnners, Dad”

Tarrie places his bucket down for a moment, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Just as Sarah shut the door again, Arri surveyed the southern part of the backyard.

“Glow over on the ridge, Mr Naline”

“Good to know, lad. Stay around there - tell me when you start to see trees burn.”

“Can’t see trees”

“No. But when you see the ones you can - that is the time to run for your life.”, the father coldly replied.

The slow glow rapidly drew near.

“Sir - fire’s up on the tree”

“RUN. RUN ARRI.”, he responded harshly as he tipped one of the last buckets of water they had onto the bush which was smouldering soon after.

Sarah locked eyes with her ash covered boyfriend, who quickly took up a seat in the kitchen.

“Which way is it coming”, Sarah flatly stated.
“South”

“I suppose that’s the best way for it to come through”, the mother chimed. “Straight down the hallway is the northern exit - there’s a side door out west near the dining table.

The father burst through the door.

“Mongrel’s here - thanks Arri but not sure it’ll be enough. Also, our door knob’s broken now - must be the heat of the fire.”

The father was only just audible over the relentless roar of the fire. He slumped in his chair, joining the rest of the family in listening to the radio whilst also blankly staring into the open curtain.

“Oh - Sarah, can you shut that?”, the father remarked quickly.

Minutes after the curtains were shut a loud shattering sound filled the air. It was the southernmost window of the house bursting under the power of the heat. Within five minutes, all of the windows were shattered.

Arrisek walked down the hallway towards the northern door - and the northern window.

“We’re gonna die… we’re gonna die… we’re gonna die”, the father shrieked as he watched small bits of smouldering bark fly through the window.

The fire was under a kilometre at this point. Arrisek, however, noticed the leaves were flicking another way - the wind was now bowling from the southwest instead of the south.

“We might be spared…”, Arrisek remarked, choking back tears as he fell to his knees.

Tarrie walked down the hallway at a pace that could hardly be called gentle.

“You’re right son - bad news for the township proper though if it picks up and shifts the fire. Outskirts round here could be fine.

2 hours later
Arrisek, Sarah and her parents remained glued to the radio which sat on the bench metres away from them.

“Northern Council has just confirmed there will be a meeting for those who remain in Kenendra at 9:30am tomorrow morning in the shed at the council depot. Residents who have evacuated are not to come to these meetings. You will be in danger if you travel into Kenendra for them. Just restating for the benefit of listeners remaining in Kenendra. There will be a meeting at 9:30am tomorrow morning, at the council depot which is on the southeastern side of the town.”

“Town hall mustn’t been safe…”, the father commented.

“Yeah, winds must’ve picked up”, Arrisek chimed.

[Ainslie]

Open Minds | A Sobering Briefing
8:52am - 17 February 2020
Offices of the President of Keverai
Garnarah - Kevara, Keverai



Three months earlier
Offices of the President of Keverai
Garnarah Building, Kevara
"President, that’s everything."
"Can’t be. Those metrics look too good for a nation after a revolution."
"They’re city based? You’re kidding me right? Send some people out to the hills you little brickhead"

The man hurriedly walked out of the room, a bit flustered and a bit taken off guard by the President’s forthrightness.

Three months later, present day
Office of the President of Keverai
Garnarah Building, Kevara
Renaut wandered around his office, fists clenched whilst checking his watch every few minutes. Through his window he could see the security guards looking out onto the street and the soldiers with maroon berets - ones he got so used to over the past few months that he almost forgets at times that the Ahnslens are withdrawing them at the end of the month.

Problem solved. Mission accomplished.

Renaut wasn’t so sure about that. The cities were glistening and were cleaner than ever, but this ignorance of anywhere that wasn’t built up was really getting on his nerves. He hovered his foot over a paper ball before kicking it to the other side of the office in frustration. A distant bell rung and soon after the sound of doors opening and closing announced to him that there was someone on their way. Renaut tucked his shirt back in, adjusted his tie and returned to his desk - tending to his papers to make himself look busy and productive.

There wasn’t really much to do in Keverai as a President anymore - at least in comparison to what there used to be. It was a welcomed peace for a while, but now it hangs like the ominous fog that separated much of the developed parts of Keverai from the hills and rural districts.

“President, the Prime Minister has reques-
Send him in, Ardane - thank you!"

“President…”, the Prime Minister begun

“We received word from the researchers and advisors in the hills”, he stated as he took a seat on the other side of the desk to Renaut.

“There is extensive and systematic disadvantage in the hills - an extent to which we have not fully reckoned to after the revolution. From preliminary assessments, the demise of the sweatshop industry caused by the rapid withdrawl of industrial multinationals from Keverai has caused the fabric of society to crumble.”

Renaut’s heart quickened as he adjusted his posture in his seat.

“There’s limited supplies of water, fuel… food… up there.”

“And the security situation?”, Renaut concerningly enquired.

“Our Government has limited to minimal control over some parts of the nation - there are centres like Menardi and Keleden who are surviving as a result of the pre-revolution local Governments who have managed to keep the peace. However, there are also places where these governments have been manipulated into fronts for corrupt businesses and even international criminals.

Keveraite Police do still exist in many of the areas, but as a result of the revolution they have been listening to their local governments more and more”

“You’re telling me that this revolution messed this all up!”, Renaut sharply stated.

“No… Sir”

“Don’t act like an idiot! How long has this situation been going on for - truthfully! Big Jack isn’t around anymore to cover for dodgy advising and policy - the people elected me and I’ll be kicking people’s heads in if they act out of line or keep hiding things from me! Tell me the truth - can you not tell that I can handle it?”

“Sir…”

“Tell me - if you want to keep your job.”

“President Renaut. This is the real situation - our intelligence sources and informants suggest that it has been this way for many years - we could be talking in decades or even since the Ahnslens pulled out.”

“So you’re telling me I inherited an absolute lemon of a Government! Those wigged cowards kept this up for that long?”

“Potentially, sir”

“And now I have to clean up their mess! What’s new? I stopped this country from razing itself to the ground because of them and now months into my leadership I’m told that I’m essentially in charge of both a first and a third world nation? At the same time!”

“Come on….. Come on….” Renaut continued.

“These donkeys! Dirty donkeys with their puffy wiggs!”

“Is there anything I can do to ease your mind, Sir?”

“No. Leave the report with my aide and tell him to clear the rest of my day. I’ll have to work out what to do to deal with this mess I suppose.”

The aide shut the door after the Prime Minister left Renaut’s office. Ardane knew what was about to happen.

*THUD*

”Those snakes, I wish I could just get a gun out on them now!”

*THUD* *SMACK*

“They forced me to flee - I come back and now I have to try and mop up the country and it’s now it’s burning up and I didn’t even know”

A crashing sound echoed through the room where the aide’s desk was and then a loud bang before the door (which was still standing) crashed upon. The aide watched as Renaut briskly walked through the corridor and towards the way out of the offices.

Ardane got up from his desk and walked into the room, still holding his notepad. There was a hole in the corner of the room, a broken plastic ruler and the contents of a cup that was previously holding pens all over the floor. The aide then swung his head around to the exit, observing the door immediately in front of him that was damaged.

“A foot straight through the door…”, he remarked just before his boss began storming back towards the office.

“You’ve cleared my day, right Ardane?”, the President half-yelled.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Thank you - now please, leave me alone. Anything short of the country falling apart - forward it over to the Prime Minister or bring it up tomorrow.”, he commanded.

“Yes. Just one last thing Sir - are you okay? Did you hurt yourself at all?”

“I’m fine”, the enraged President replied just before the door slammed shut.

[Ainslie]

Open Minds | Reckoning
3:22pm - 9 March 2020
Kevara, Keverai


“Sir, I must advise against this.”, Renaut’s political advisor declared.
“If a President can’t face his people, what use is he?”, the leader bellowed back as he jumped into the 4WD. Three others were already in the car - a media advisor and two soldiers.

Renaut wasn’t quite sure what exactly he was about to face. If the reports were as bad as suggested, he definitely would need soldiers. The Ahnslens may have a delayed withdrawl as well…

The black 4WD with dark, bulletproof windows sailed along the sealed highways of eastern Keverai. However, two hours later it almost meets its match on the rural roads of the north.

Renaut sat in the back seat, flicking on his phone as the gravel on the road continued to render a sharp, consistent clinking sound.

“No service already?”, the leader whined.

“Yes, phone service is quite patchy in this area. We have a satellite phone with us that we are certain will be of more use to you in these areas.”, the soldier sitting in the passenger seat replied.

***

Thirty minutes later
Outskirts of Mernadi, Keverai.

The cloud that gathered around the highway transitioned into a deep red reminiscent of some ancient underworld. Renaut looked through the window, which was tinted both ways - hardly aiding in any kind of positive opinion on the conditions outside.

“How far is it to our first stop, Unde?”, the President chirped.

“Menardi Town Centre is about five minutes away.”, the driver stated.
“Excellent.”, he replied. “Where are we visiting first there?”

“The Town Hall, Sir. I must warn you - these people have not seen any feds around since the revolution. They’re not going to be all that impressed”, the media advisor said.

“Of course they’re not going to be happy - they need to be heard though. And by a President as well - sure, the advisors were good but if it’s this bad I need to see it for myself.”, Renaut sharply replied.

The inertia of the slowing car pulled everyone forward, indicating that the first stop was imminent. Renaut adjusted his tie and grabbed his hat.

“You might want this as well, Sir”, the soldier in the passenger seat stated as he handed him a face mask.

“Thanks.”

As the door opened, a sight that Renaut had only ever seen in duststorms met him. This wasn’t a dust storm though. It was fire. The President looked around at the locals who were walking along the pathway near the town hall. Heads gradually, but surely turned towards the suited leader and it was at that time he knew he was out of their depth.

“Oi, Mr Suit - I’ve seen you before? What you gonna do here, bud? You didn’t bring us a water tanker - wouldn’t matter anyway, most of us have lost everything whilst you sit back having dinner parties with the city corporates.”, a local in a plad shirt shouted from across the street.

People slowly began to congregate around the street, as the two soldiers adopted a defensive posture around the leader.

“You could’ve brought more than two soldiers - they’d be lucky to save you out here.”, a woman in an ash covered shirt continued.

“It appears I am not welcome here.”, Renaut told his media advisor.

“Perhaps we should go into the shops and talk with some of the local business owners?”, the advisor suggested.

“Yes, that seems like a good idea.”, the nervous man replied.

The soldier who had been driving stayed with the car, whilst Unde and the media advisor followed Renaut as he assertively walked down the street whilst being heckled from multiple angles and from people of all backgrounds.

Renaut raised his head, observing the bakery sign and decided to slot into the building.

“Ahh… Mr President, I believe you are?”

“Yes. I am Burnell Renaut, who are you?”

“I am Elliese, I own the bakery you’re standing in.”

The two continued to converse as Renaut transitioned from nervous to concerned - the stories and set of facts the bakery owner seemed to have been giving him was wildly different - even to what the advisors had been telling him. The bakery owner eventually moved from behind the counter to a table nearby, where Renaut soon sat in the seat across from her. The President rubbed his chin slowly as he got a short form verbal essay on how Menardi was really going.

”And you should hear what happened to the Marions… I saw the look on the second oldest boy and he was just tormented by what he saw… Can’t blame him - used to work in the sweatshops, then got shot at by Kevara police and came back to his family farm in ashes...”, Elliese mournfully said.

Is he still in town? I have got many places where I need to visit and talk with Keveraites in, but if… Arrisek, was it, is still in the township perhaps I could meet him?[/i]

”No… he left to Kedaine the other day - where the bushfires have been getting real bad. If you stop by there, make sure you have enough water before you get there - i hear that they’ve been running out of water and these fires could not have helped.”, the baker pleaded.

***

Two weeks later

The dirty, brown SUV was on its large stretch of the long journey through the Keveraite hills, cruising along a highway back to the capital. Renaut sat there, mulling through all the stories he had been receiving over the past fortnight - he was confused, puzzled - but most prominent was his feeling of anger - the discontent of rural Keveraites only served as further fuel for his anger with the city bureaucrats.

“Something needs to be done… something big…”, he mumbled under his breath.